Invasion
by Maralexa
Summary: Separatist forces threaten the Earth and the Avengers must assemble once again with an unlikely ally by their side. Still recovering from the attack on New York, the task of defending their world from another army is not an easy one. Will the legendary Avengers be a match for Count Dooku and his droid army? Will the Republic come to their aid in time?
1. Prologue

**Hello, hello! Welcome to my fourth-ever fanfic, **_**Invasion**_**. For those of you who know me, I'm the author of the ever-successful **_**Pwning and **_**Gaming and the two growing fics entitled **_**The Portal of Destiny**_** and **_**The Force of Mischief**_**. I know, I know, I'm taking on a lot of fanfics at once. Juggling three is no easy task to take on, but you know what? That's fine with me. I love writing, I love Star Wars, and I love Loki, so this'll be fun! Since it is summer AND I got a new laptop, I've got all this time to update (until I go on summer-type vacations) so just sit back, relax, read, and REVIEW! I welcome reviews. Disclaimer at the bottom. So, without further ado, I give you the prologue!**

* * *

Count Dooku stood before his Master, head bowed. General Grievous had failed him once again, and he had to pay the price for it. The Jedi were gaining the upper hand in the war, and Darth Sideous was not happy about it.

"Count Dooku," Sideous said in that sinister voice of his, "have you anything to say?"

"No, Master," Dooku said.

"Very well, then. You may go."

Dooku did not comprehend this. He raised his bowed head and stared up at his Master's hooded face. "What?"

"You know what you have done," Sideous said. "You know of your failure. I have no need to waste my breath on you. You may go. Do not fail me again." Dooku knew that failure was one of the most dangerous things one could do when working with Sith. He bowed his head and got up to leave. Before he could, though, Sideous stopped him. "I sense something is coming," he said. "A glorious battle. You are involved."

Dooku frowned. "Master, are not all of the battles glorious?" he asked. "There are a great many battles in this war. With all due respect, how is this one that you sense any different?"

"Be prepared for this one," Sideous insisted. "It will be different than anything you have ever seen. The Force has revealed to me the future, though parts of it are clouded by uncertainty and changing decisions. All I can say for sure is that you must make the right decisions when the time comes, Tyranus. I will not be there when this event occurs. You will be tested to the very limit."

"I will be ready, my Master," Dooku said, bowing. "Is that all you wish to reveal to me?"

Sideous nodded. "That is all. The rest will be shown to you when the time is right. Leave me now. You have much to do." When Dooku bowed again and departed, the Sith Lord murmured, "It will be coming sooner than you realize."

Dooku did not hear his Master's murmurings as he left for his ship. He pulled out a device to communicate with Grievous. "General," he said.

The General appeared in hologram form. "Yes, Count Dooku," he said in his rough voice.

"Prepare the armies. My Master has revealed to me that a glorious battle is upon us. He will not say where, but I know that the Force will lead us to the right place at the right time. Until we receive more intel, keep all droid forces at the ready."

"It will be done. Grievous out." The General disappeared.

Dooku made a face. "Repulsive," he muttered. "I wonder if putting that thing in charge of the droid army was a wise idea." He turned and boarded his ship, intending to meditate. Perhaps the Force will show him what his Master was talking about. Being in the dark unknown about such things was irksome to him. "Take me to these coordinates," he ordered the pilot. "If you need me, and hopefully you will _not_, I will be in that room. Do not bother me unless it is an emergency."

"Yes, sir," the pilot said, starting up the ship.

Dooku sat silently, his eyes closed. He focused on becoming one with the Force, not at all afraid to embrace the darker side. It was silly to fear the Dark Side, really. Becoming a Sith Lord had opened his eyes to greater things that the Jedi had kept him from simply because they were paranoid. They claimed that fear led to the Dark Side, but they feared the Dark Side itself. Did that even make any sense? Dooku shook his head. Nothing about the Jedi made sense to him anymore. It was no wonder he had left them behind. His only regret was leaving Obi-Wan. He had been like a grandson to him. If only the young man could see what Dooku had seen. The corruption within the Republic and the Jedi Order.

As he reflected on these things, he was suddenly interrupted by the pilot. "Sir?"

Dooku opened his eyes, irritated. "I told you not to bother me unless it is an emergency. Can't you see that I am meditating here?"

"But sir…this _is_ an emergency! We're under attack!"

Dooku sprang to his feet. "How did the Republic find us?" he demanded. "Take evasive action! We are not in a position to fight!"

"Yes, sir!" The pilot rushed back to his seat and worked on evading the relentless attacks by the Republic ships. "There is a Star Destroyer up ahead!" he warned. "What are you orders?"

"We need to find a safe place to make the jump to light speed," Dooku responded. "Reset the coordinates."

"Right away, sir." While the pilot worked on that, Dooku stood motionlessly. "Making the jump now," the pilot said.

Dooku let out a breath of relief as the familiar sensation of light speed began. They were safe. "I suppose that was emergency enough," he grumbled moodily. "If you'll excuse me, I will return to my meditation."

"Of course, sir. Where would you like to go?"

Dooku had not considered this. "Seeing as our original plan was interrupted by our good friends from the Republic, I suppose we ought to find an alternative course of action. I will leave the destination up to you. Just get me to safety. I trust you will not put us in hostile hands. If you do, this will be the last thing you ever do."

"Understood, sir."

Dooku went into the room again, sat down, and closed his eyes. "Perhaps I can actually get some meditation in this time," he mumbled. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The moment he closed his eyes, the pilot's voice cut into his thoughts once more.

"Sir?"

Dooku's eyes flew open. "_What_?" he snapped.

"You might want to see this, sir!" he called.

Dooku stormed up to where the pilot was sitting. "Do I have to pilot this piece of scrap metal myself?" he demanded. "You are clearly incapable of—what is that?"

"_That_ is the reason I called you over here, sir," the pilot replied uncertainly. Staring them straight in the face was a gigantic field of energy that was pulling them toward it. "It was the first thing I saw when I shifted out of light speed," he added timidly. "I think it has some sort of tractor pull on us."

"Turn around, then!" Dooku ordered.

"I…I can't, sir. I tried. I am completely powerless against it. None of the controls are responding. I think we have been overridden."

Dooku sighed, exasperated. Great. _Just_ great. His Master had predicted a battle. Would he ever get to see it? If he died inside whatever-this-thing-was, he never would. Maybe it would lead him to the battle. He doubted it. "Shut down the power, then," he said resignedly. "No use burning what we have. You are completely and utterly useless, you know that?" The pilot winced and did as he was told. Dooku watched helplessly as they approached the energy field. There was no escape.

"The power is shut down, sir."

"Good. Now sit down. Neither of us know what will happen next, so we might as well wait and see."

They were sucked into the energy field, where there was a blinding white light. Dooku squinted, trying to see what was going on. The ship began to spin. Then, without warning, they were falling. The white light dissipated. They were in space, right in front of a planet.

"Power up!" Dooku ordered. "There is our new destination. Once we land and refuel, we will able to figure out what to do from there."

"Yes, sir!" The pilot worked on it. Before long, they were on the ground.

"Do an analysis. Is it safe?" he asked.

The pilot obeyed and supplied him with as much information as he could gather. "It is oxygen-rich, so you are safe to walk it. There is plenty of life and vegetation. Climate varies. Temperature is safe for humans. There is a high chance that you will be just fine."

Dooku nodded and left abruptly. He stepped out of the ship and looked around cautiously. It was night, and they were in the middle of what looked like a field. "Interesting. I think it would be good to explore this place further."

* * *

**Well, that's the prologue! I hope you liked it! Sorry it was so short. Most prologues are short and experimental. I intend to make it more interesting as the story progresses. If you like it, review. If you do not like it, review. If you feel random, then shoot me random review! The pretty little button at the bottom will help me so much, so if you have any comments, ideas, critiques, etc. then let me know. Here is the disclaimer I promised.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of the characters that will be mentioned in this fic. I will do a disclaimer for the Avengers once they find a way into the story.**


	2. Another War

**Hello, everyone! Okay, I couldn't help it. I HAD to post the first chapter, even though it's almost 4 AM my time. This fic excites me so much that I couldn't resist! So here are the main two reasons that I decided to post this story in the first place. First, I checked the website and only found one Avengers/Star Wars crossover. Second, Star Wars and the Avengers are my favorite movies EVER! I came up with the idea randomly and felt the need to post it. I hope it is successful because, though I am only on the first chapter, I enjoy writing it a lot! Sorry for rambling. I just thought I would provide an interesting backstory that reflects my intentions. XD Anywho, here is the first chapter. Enjoy and review!**

**comicfan22: Thank you for being the first reviewer! I am glad it interests you and I really hope this story lives up to your expectations.**

**Pergjithshme: Yay I have a loyal fan that follows all my stories super happy fun time! Hmm it WOULD be interesting if Dooku landed on Asgard, though that wasn't the plan. And yes, graduation is SO SWEET! I saw your review and I was like "Pergjithshme found my new story, yay! Now it's a party!" :D**

* * *

Loki paced restlessly around in his cell. He had been so close to victory. _So close_! He could have ruled Midgard _and_ claimed his revenge on Thor. The plan was so well thought out that it couldn't possibly have failed, yet here he was, standing in a maximum-security prison in Asgard, the place he had grown up in. What had gone wrong? Now the Chitauri would stop at nothing to find him. If he thought that this was bad, he had another thing coming with the Chitauri.

"Brother," a familiar voice said. Thor stepped cautiously into the room, unsure of what emotional state his adopted brother was in.

_Do not call me brother!_ Loki thought angrily. Though he was free to roam around the small space as he pleased, he still had chains on his hands and a muzzle on his mouth.

"You must understand that this is for the best," Thor said. "What you have done to the people of Midgard is unforgiveable."

_If you wish to speak with me, then remove this infernal contraption._ Loki's eyes flickered downward, toward the muzzle, then back at Thor. It was the only way he could let the god of thunder know what he was thinking about.

"You know I cannot remove that," Thor said exasperatedly, as if he'd said this numerous times. "It is a punishment for your crimes and a necessary restraint. You have lost the right to speak freely."

_Get out of here, then. Do not expect anything more than a one-sided conversation._ Loki narrowed his eyes. _I wouldn't stoop to speaking to you even if I _could_ speak._

"Father did not send me here," Thor said. "I came here of my own accord to see you. Unlike the rest of Asgard, I believe that you can be revived from this bitter state. Now that the threat is over, it is time to get down to business. The All-Father will come here to inform you of your punishment, though I decided to come to tell you myself before it becomes official." He gazed sadly at his brother. "You will be stripped of your rights as an Asgardian and treated as a prisoner for the rest of eternity. You will sit here in silence. The only time that you will be freed of your mouth restraint is to eat, which will be three times per week."

Loki thought of the way that humans read off what they call "Miranda Rights" whenever they arrested a criminal. There was irony in the way that Thor listed off his lack of rights. _Does it look like I care?_ He tried to remain completely apathetic, but it was difficult to suppress a sigh. The prospect of the punishment certainly wasn't pleasant, but he regretted nothing. Given a second chance, he would probably do something similar to what he already did. He might change it up a little to try to be successful, though.

"You don't even care, do you? Do you realize the significance of what is happening here?" Thor pressed his hands against the glass of Loki's containment. It was similar to the one that S.H.I.E.L.D had used. "You're losing your freedom, brother! I just informed you that you will be left here for the rest of your miserable life and you do not even bat an eye! I want so much to know what you are thinking."

_I will not give you the pleasure,_ Loki thought.

Thor looked around, then let out a defeated sigh. "Leave us," he told the guards. "I wish to speak with my brother alone."

"The All-Father ordered us to keep our post," one of the guards said.

"I am Thor Odinson, and I order you to leave for a brief moment. Nothing bad will come to pass here. Loki's magic is restrained and I am far more powerful than he is at the time. This is a direct order. I suggest you obey it."

The guards placed their hands on their hearts and bowed as one. "As you wish," one of them said. They filed out.

"I will never get used to the way they operate," Thor mused. Loki's eyebrows rose. Was Thor really being _casual_ with him right now? "Hold still. If you try anything, you will regret it." Loki's eyes widened in surprise as Thor pressed his hand against a panel, opening the cage. He stepped in and faced his brother. "I believe you will be redeemed," he said. "I do not think for one second that you will be forced to remain here." Thor then did something that took Loki completely by surprise. He removed the muzzle.

Loki opened and closed his mouth several times, getting used to the new freedom. He looked at Thor uncertainly. "What are your intentions, pray tell?" he asked.

"Just to speak rationally with you," Thor responded.

Loki laughed. "Do you really expect that to go well?"

Thor shrugged hopelessly. "One can always hope, brother. One can always hope."

"Do not call me that," Loki spat. "I am no more your brother than the guards that walked out that door. Less so, in fact. At least _they_ are of Asgard."

"I do not like the way you talk," Thor said. "You were just as much of Asgard as I am."

"You say 'were.' You refer to my lost rights."

"I do. But before you lost your _mind_, you were Asgardian through and through. Your true parentage mattered not. You chose to make it an issue."

Loki glared at the ground. He wondered why he chose to speak with Thor in the first place. He'd told himself to remain quiet. He did not want to give the god of thunder the pleasure of response. To speak to him was to submit. But he could not resist. Some part of him wanted to keep fighting, to keep being defiant. "Why do you come here?" he asked. "Your precious Midgard is safe now and the monster that brought war upon it is now subdued. You have no reason to speak with me."

"I already told you why I came here," Thor said. "I want you to know that at least one person has hope that you will come back to us. I am not the only one. Our mother—"

"_Your_ mother, Thor!" Loki snapped. "I have no connection to anyone from Asgard. _Especially_ not your parents."

"They were your parents growing up," Thor shot back. "Must I repeat what I said whilst we were on Midgard? We grew up together. We played together and fought together. You are as much a brother to me as someone who shares my blood would be. You may be losing your rights as an Asgardian, but you will never lose your rights as my brother."

Loki was slightly taken aback by this. After everything he had done, Thor _still_ considered him a brother? He concealed his surprise by taunting him. "Are you really so foolish as to call me 'brother' after everything that has come to pass? When will it hit you that I am _not_ the person that you think I am, nor will I ever be? I am _not_ the same person that played with you and fought with you and grew up with you! I am a Frost Giant, Thor! A monster. I am what most would consider a tyrant. I tried to take over a realm. _Wake up_!"

Thor looked into his Loki's intense green eyes. "I refuse to 'wake up' and give up on you, Loki. Whether you believe it or not, I have a feeling that you will fight by my side again someday." He studied the muzzle in his hand. "Perhaps sooner rather than later."

Loki followed Thor's gaze. "Are you going to put that back on me?" he asked.

Thor nodded. "I'm afraid I have no choice."

"Get on with it, then." Loki lifted his chin ever so slightly.

Thor closed his eyes for a brief moment, seeming to brace himself. After a pause, he opened them again and reattached the restraint to Loki's mouth. "I'm sorry," he said. "Guards, you may return." The guards filed in. "I will be back, brother." Loki glared at him. "Yes, Loki, I will continue to call you brother. As I said before, you have not lost your rights as a member of my family, no matter what my father says." He turned away and walked out. Loki watched him go, silenced once more. He resumed his pacing routine as if nothing had happened.

* * *

Dooku turned around and returned to the ship. "Do you have a schematic of the planet yet?" he asked the pilot.

"Yes, sir," the pilot said. "The nearest civilization is right here." He pointed to a holographic diagram of part of the planet. "You will be able to learn more if you go there."

"Very well, then. Take me to that location," he ordered.

"Right away, sir." The pilot went back to the controls and took off. They travelled to the place that the pilot had referred to. "We have arrived, sir."

"Excellent. Remain here. I need someone to guard my ship. I have a feeling that it is unlike anything that they have on this planet. The Force has revealed to me that the residents are underdeveloped."

"Of course, sir."

Dooku stepped out of the ship, welcomed by a swarm of humans with guns. He took out his lightsaber and ignited it. Though Dooku was a diplomatic man by nature, he was not afraid to fight. In fact, the war had molded him into quite the aggressor.

A man with an eyepatch stepped forward and scrutinized him. "Drop your weapon," he ordered. Dooku noted that he resembled his old friend, Mace Windu, almost exactly. "We do not want to hurt you, but we will use force if necessary." Wow. He even _sounded_ like Mace.

Dooku laughed. "You dare ask me to put my lightsaber away?" he asked. "You have another thing coming if you think you can subdue me."

"Are you a friendly or a hostile?" the man demanded.

"That depends on your definition of hostile," Dooku replied calmly. "What planet is this?"

"You are not from here, are you?" the man asked. He raised his gun a little higher. "The last time someone from _out there_ came to this planet, there was a full-scale war. I will ask you again: are you a friendly or a hostile?"

Dooku chuckled. "Such determination for a human from an underdeveloped planet. You obviously know nothing of the Confederacy, do you?" The man did not respond. "The galactic war?" he prompted. Still, the man did not make any indication that he recognized what Dooku was taking about. "You are from an isolated planet, then," he decided. "In that case, the response to your question is open for debate. If you intend to cooperate, then I am a friendly. If you do not, then consider me a hostile."

"You sound an awful lot like Loki," the man growled.

Dooku raised an eyebrow. "I know nothing of your Loki," he said. "What I would _like_ to know is who you are and where I am."

"I am Director Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D," the man said at last. "You are on the planet Earth. If you intend to subjugate us, then you will find yourself going down the road of failure."

"Oh will I?" Dooku asked. "You know not the power of the Dark Side of the Force. I am Count Dooku, leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. You will soon be under the protection of Separatist forces. We will establish your planet as one of our bases and, if you cooperate, it will be a peaceful time for your people."

"Peaceful? You speak of peace, yet you intend to put my planet under your 'protection'? I take it that that can be translated as 'control.' We averted a crisis once, and we can do it again. Do not make me call in the response team, because it will be the end of you and any army you decide to bring here." He stared at Dooku a moment. "The 'Dark Side of the Force' sounds like a threat to me. You will find that I do not take threats well."

"I assure you that there will not be a threat unless you fail to cooperate. My droids will come here with either protection or war. Your choice," Dooku said.

"I choose option three. You will come with us quietly and be subjected to questioning. We might be able to work something out that does _not_ include your control of my world." Dooku sensed that this man was growing irritated. "We are a free planet," he said. "We asserted that with Loki's army, and we will assert that with yours if we must."

Again with the Loki thing. Who was this Loki person? Dooku had never heard of him, yet these humans seemed to regard him with utter distaste. From what he could gather, Loki had been unsuccessful in a plot to take over this planet. If there was a way that Dooku could learn what the man before him had done wrong, then perhaps he could go about it differently. Being the smooth-talker that he was, Dooku inquired very casually, "Who is this Loki that you speak of? Tell me about him."

Fury was not swayed in the slightest. "Loki's conquest for power is none of your concern, seeing as you are not a member of either realm that the incident involved. I assume that you are the type that seeks ideas and learns from others' mistakes. I will not give you the luxury of how and why Loki was defeated. Just let it be known that if we can thwart him, we can thwart you."

"I underestimated you, Director," Dooku said, studying the man with interest. "I'd hate to see a smart man such as yourself be killed for resisting Separatist control."

"So you _are_ seeking to control us. You finally stopped being evasive and came out and said it. What I find interesting is that you arrive on my planet and decide after ten minutes that you want to take over. You obviously know nothing about how we operate here. Plus, you _do_ realize that you are standing alone, surrounded by armed gunners."

"Guns do not concern me," Dooku said. "What concerns me is that you are so adamant about resisting that you will not consider your own life. How tragic. I hate to see it end this way." He smiled. "Go ahead and fire your useless guns at me. It will do nothing." Everyone in the crowd tensed up, waiting for the order to shoot. "Do I have to push you? Very well." Dooku extended a hand and unleashed Force Lightning on Fury. He fell over, taken aback, and ordered them to fire. Dooku laughed as he deflected everything that was thrown at him. He enjoyed using the Force to knock people down and took great pleasure in turning people's weapons against them by blocking and deflecting.

"He _is_ like Loki," Fury whispered. "Another lunatic set on taking over the Earth."

Dooku heard this and smiled. "Your first statement is debatable, and your second is almost accurate. I am no lunatic, and I am not set on taking over the Earth. I am set on taking over the _galaxies_." He saluted and boarded his ship. "Take off," he ordered the pilot. "We are calling in the big guns."

"Yes, sir," the pilot said.

The ship took off. Fury watched them go, aching from the electricity that had emitted from the hostile's hand. One of the agents helped him to his feet. "We're calling in the Avengers," he said. "It looks like we have another war on our hands."

* * *

**Well? Did you like it? Did you? Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story except the pilot, as Pergjithshme pointed out. I do not own Star Wars or the Avengers movies. Marvel does. If I DID own any of these characters or movies, I'd be rich and famous and not on Fanfiction. Anyways, if any of you fans out there have any ideas as to what you want in the story, let me know. I still welcome reviews. I always will. So review, review, review! Thanks in advance! :)**


	3. Assembling the Team

**Here is the next update! This story is so much fun to write, but it's a challenge as well because I have taken on the legendary Avengers and can only hope to capture their characterizations. It keeps me thinking to say the least. Anyways, here's an announcement that I posted on my other two updates tonight. One of my good Fanfiction friends, Nako13yeh, wrote an Avengers fic called **_**Cross Reality**_**. It was very awesome, but it was taken down. It is back now, in edited form, so for those of you who have read it, I promised her I would spread the word, so there you go! Get out there and read it. It's awesome and you won't be disappointed!**

**Pergjithshme: Hello! Ha, I like what you did there. The dramatic possibilities make it a definite ":D" so you got it right the first time. Don't worry about Loki. Keep your "doubt" in mind. That's all I'll say on the subject. ;)**

* * *

Agent Natasha Romanoff steeled herself and knocked on Doctor Bruce Banner's door. She knew what he was capable of, but she also trusted him. Having fought by his side, she was confident that he would not hurt her. He was very good at keeping "the other guy" under control, so she knew that she was safe. "Doctor Banner," she called softly.

Banner opened the door and faced her, his calm features reflecting curiosity. "Why do I have a feeling that this isn't a friendly visit?" he asked.

Natasha sighed. "I wish it was, Doctor," she said. "Can I come in? You might want to sit down." He stepped aside and allowed her to enter the small house. He pulled out a chair from the kitchen table and gestured for her to sit. She obliged. He sat down across from her and gazed at her expectantly for several moments. She had to take a couple of deep breaths before launching into the bad news. "I will get straight to it. There's no need to dodge around the truth."

Banner frowned. "And what is the truth, Agent? Do I want to know?"

"No, you don't. But given the current circumstances, you _have_ to know." He nodded for her to continue. "I'm calling you in. S.H.I.E.L.D is in the process of calling in the Avengers team. Director Fury is headed off to speak to Captain Rogers right now. Tony Stark will be contacted afterward and we are not entirely sure how to get through to Thor. We suspect that he is busy with Loki and will be unable to come."

"So…why is Fury calling us in?" Banner asked.

Natasha handed him a folder. "He calls himself Count Dooku. He claims to be the leader of a group called the Confederacy of Independent Systems. According to Fury, this man plans to conquer the Earth."

"Wonderful. The last thing this world needs is another Loki," he mused.

"The full extent of the information is in the packet here," Natasha continued. "We have reason to believe that Dooku is contacting his army right now. He escaped, so he could be anywhere at this point, gathering reinforcements. It says here that he has powers unlike Loki's. We aren't sure if they are more dangerous than his or not."

Banner sat, still and quiet. "What do you want me to do?" he asked at last, raising his head.

"We need you to join the team once again," Natasha said, leaning forward.

"Do you really want to try the other guy's patience?" Banner asked. "You are seriously testing the water by asking him to join you."

"We're not asking him," Natasha said. "We're asking you."

* * *

"Hello there, Captain Rogers."

"Director Fury." Steve stepped away from the punching bag.

"A bit of déjà vu, wouldn't you say, Captain?" Fury asked. "Is this where you spend all of your spare time?"

"Only when I'm bored, Director. Only when I'm bored. I've had a bit of down time since the battle." He tilted his head to one side curiously. "What brings you here?"

"Unfortunately, a new threat."

Steve sighed. "I was afraid you would say that. Did Loki escape?"

"No, but I have reason to believe that we have another Loki on our hands." He handed Steve a packet identical to the one that Natasha had handed Banner. "Count Dooku is his name. He claims to be a master of what he calls the Dark Side of the Force. He intends to take over the galaxies, _including_ our world."

"I assume he has an army." Steve opened the folder and leafed through it. "Are you calling in the whole team?"

"Yes."

Steve closed his eyes a moment, letting the memories of the previous war sink in. If anyone knew war strategies, it was him. He might not be a super-genius like Doctor Banner and Tony Stark, a god like Thor, or a master assassin like the Black Widow and Hawkeye, but he knew what to do in the heat of battle. His eyes opened and fixed on Fury's brown ones. "Count me in."

* * *

"Sir, there is an important message for you."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Maybe I don't feel like taking an important message today, JARVIS," he said. "Today is my 'me day.' Emphasis on _me_. Why do all messages have to be _important_? Why don't people just send me a friendly 'hello' for once?"

"I can't answer that, sir. Nick Fury would like to speak to you personally."

"Tell him I'm out," Tony said. "I'm…taking steps to end world hunger. I've got my hands tied right now and can't possibly—"

"Mr. Stark."

Tony turned around to see Nick Fury standing in the doorway. "Oh." He stood up slowly. "Darn it, JARVIS. Next time warn me when I'm about to entertain a guest!" He walked over to join Fury. "Sorry for the mess. I just came back from taking steps to ending world hunger, and—"

"Now's not the time for your antics, Mr. Stark. We are about to go to war."

Tony's eyebrows shot up. "If that's not an entrance, than I don't know what is. Way to drop the bomb without even giving me a chance to offer you a drink."

"Listen, Stark." He handed him the folder. "This is critical information that requires you immediate attention."

Tony sat down. "I'm listening."

Fury launched into the description of Count Dooku and his intentions to take over the galaxies. "He is a self-proclaimed hostile and intends to force our world into subjugation. He plans to take over the Earth."

"Great, my favorite. You've got to love the crazy lunatics bent on world domination. Everybody's got to have a hobby, right?"

"This is no laughing matter. Might I remind you that he wants to take over the galaxies. If he has an army big enough to achieve this, then we may be facing something far more threatening than Loki."

Tony opened the folder and studied the files. He came across a picture of Count Dooku. "Not very good-looking, is he?" Fury fixed him with a harsh stare. "No, really. I mean, look at the guy. At least Loki was considerably handsome. If you're going to try to conquer the worlds, you might as well look good doing it."

Fury shook his head. "Can you at least _try_ to take this seriously?"

Tony let out a breath. "Okay. Getting serious now. But really, just because he claims to have an army doesn't mean he actually has one at his disposal. If you freaked out and called in the Avengers every time someone threatened to take over the world, we wouldn't have a moment of peace."

"Yes, but if you read the information, you will find that this hostile has superhuman powers and claims to be a user of the Dark Side of the Force. If you ask me, I'd say it sounds suspicious." He paused a moment, then added, "You weren't there. You didn't see or experience _lightning_ coming at you from his _hands_. I'm asking you to join the team in an investigation on a possible war. If you are up to the task, then we will all meet here."

Tony nodded. "Of course I'm up to it. My life's been getting kind of boring anyway. Bring them over."

Fury half-smiled. "That's what I thought."

* * *

The Gatekeeper, Heimdall, always had his eyes on the other realms. Even though the means of travel that he had guarded for so long was gone, he still resumed his post as if nothing had happened. The arrival of Count Dooku did not escape him. He analyzed the intentions and detected that there was indeed a threat, so he left his vigil and went to alert the All-Father.

Odin was conversing with his son about Loki. "I warned you not to go in there," he said exasperatedly. "Your compassion for him may eventually lead to his release. If you are not careful, he will use you. He is very much aware that you still care about him, despite everything he has done."

"I understand, Father," Thor said. "I felt the need to speak with him. I believe that he will come back to us. He just needs some time. Locking him up and stripping him of his rights will not make him return to his former self any sooner. In fact, it will make him even bitterer than he already is. I feel that I can reach him if I am persistent."

Odin put a hand on his son's shoulder. "I ask one thing of you, Thor." He paused, lengthening the moment a little to emphasize the seriousness. "Do not be disappointed in failure."

Thor nodded. "Of course. But I will not fail."

"Do not put too much confidence in that. If you do fail, then it will hurt that much more."

"All-Father," Heimdall interrupted, bowing and placing a fist over his heart. "I have urgent news for Thor."

Thor was surprised. "Go on," he said.

Heimdall gazed at him very seriously. "The Avengers need your assistance one again," he said.

Thor's eyes widened. "Father, I need the Tesseract," he said.

Odin nodded. "If you are needed on Midgard, then go. I will take care of Loki's sentence."

Thor hesitated. He didn't want to leave his brother behind. Something tugged at him, making him want to visit Loki once more. "Of—of course. I will depart as soon as I can. Thank you, Heimdall." He turned and left. Once he was out of sight, he changed direction and made his way toward the prison where Loki was being held.

* * *

The guards never spoke. They just stood there, still and silent, as they followed their direct orders to ensure that Loki was kept under a watchful eye at all times. If his life was a book, this chapter—and the chapters that follow—would be entitled _The Dull Life of Loki Laufeyson_. Everything looked pretty bleak at this point. At least everything was quiet. It was as peaceful as things would get, anyway. Plenty of time for thought and reflection.

His thoughts and reflections were interrupted by Thor. "Brother."

Loki decided to stop pursuing the hopeless notion that they were not and never would be brothers. Thor would never stop calling him "brother" so he might as well quit fighting it. If the god of thunder wanted to chase a fruitless dream, then that was his choice. His green eyes, filled with irritation, flickered expectantly to Thor's electric blue ones. What did he want this time?

"Brother, something has happened."

Loki raised an eyebrow. _What could possibly have happened that would compel you to come in here and inform me?_

"Leave us," Thor ordered the guards. The guards looked like they wanted to object, but Thor's serious stare led them to simply bow and march out as one. Thor entered the cell and pulled Loki's muzzle off again. Loki put a hand on his jaw, opening and closing his mouth as he had done the first time Thor had removed the restraint. Thor put his hands on Loki's arms. "I worry for you, brother," he began.

"Why must you worry yourself?" Loki asked. "Since when does it matter what happens to me?"

"Do not talk like that. I care very much what happens to you," Thor said.

"So you worry about me. What has happened to make you feel so?"

Thor paused, looking intensely into Loki's eyes. "The Avengers need me again."

This took Loki by surprise. He raised an eyebrow and looked around the cage sarcastically. "If you are implying that I am threatening Midgard, then you obviously lack more intelligence than I thought. If the Chitauri are attacking again, which would be an act of suicide, then why waste your time here with me? Do you really think that I have the means to launch another assault on that realm?"

"No, brother, I am not accusing you of anything. I do not even know why I am needed. I only know that there is another threat that calls me away from Asgard." He gazed at Loki sadly, taking his hands off of his brother's arms and taking a step back. "If I am gone, there will be no one to watch out for you. Our parents—sorry, _my_ parents—will do nothing to make your life any easier. You and I both know that I am the only one that believes in your redemption. If I am not around in this critical time of your life, you might never come back to us."

Thor was rambling. Loki couldn't help but laugh. "You still think that I am going to change?" He shook his head. "Go to Midgard, Thor. Just forget about me, okay? I am perfectly fine here."

"Of course you aren't. That is why you are coming with me."

Thor never failed to shock him. "Are you crazy? Do you really think those Midgardians will take that well? There are a number or reasons why that is a horrible idea. Come on, Thor. I knew you weren't that smart, but seriously? Why do you taunt me like this? Do not make such jests. It is not at all funny."

"I jest not, Loki. Do I look like I am trying to make a joke?"

Loki could not resist; Thor had practically handed him that one. "You never exactly _look_ what you are thinking, Thor. It is impossible to take you seriously half the time because you are so daft."

Thor narrowed his eyes. "Just because you are a genius mastermind that knows how to use a little magic does _not_ make you over me."

"I know!" Loki shot back. "Father reminded me of this _every day of my life_!"

Loki was emoting. Thor seemed to realize that he had overstepped. "I'm sorry, brother," he said, putting his hands on his brother's shoulders. Loki pulled away, though he could do little with his hands chained. "I never knew what you went through when we were young. You hid it so well."

"No, Thor. It was not because I hid it," Loki seethed. "It was because you were so caught up in being Father's favorite that you didn't see it."

"But I see it now," Thor insisted.

"You will _never_ see it!" Loki shouted.

Thor winced. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I want to make it up to you. I intend to bring you with me to Midgard. You will prove yourself and you will be free and…"

"Stop it, Thor. Stop it right there." Loki turned his back and started pacing furiously. "Do you really think that taking me to Midgard will solve anything? It will just stir up trouble. You know what they think of me."

"Yes, but if you helped us—"

"Why should I help _you_?" he spat.

"Because we need you."

* * *

**Ooh, intense! Let's hear what you guys think of it. Push the button, everyone! This fic is on the favorites list of four people already, which makes me happy. Those of you who are favoriting it, take a moment to review if you can. IF ANYONE HAS IDEAS THEN LET ME KNOW BECAUSE I DO NOT LIKE WRITER'S BLOCK SO IF IT CAN BE AVOIDED THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!**

**Disclaimer: I own very little, that little being the plot and the pilot in the previous two chapters.**


	4. Stark Tower

**Hello! Here is the next installment of _Invasion_! I'm really looking forward to writing the chapter after this one because I thought of an AWESOME idea so stay tuned for the next update!**

**Pergjithshme: *wink* Keep reading. That's all I've got to say. :)**

**laureas: Don't worry, I'm not an Ahsoka-hater. And yes, see the Avengers! It will change your life. Vis tecum! According to Ayy Kaim, that's "May the Force be with you" in Latin. :D**

**Ptroxsora: *bows* Your wish is my command!**

**AaylaKit: Yay you saw it! YOU LOVE THOR AND LOKI LIKE ME YES, YES, YES!**

* * *

Count Dooku closed his eyes and meditated. If he was to bring his army down to contain this planet and force it under Separatist control, he'd have to learn a bit about it first.

"Sir, I have received intelligence that the people that are after us are from a government agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D and they have a response team that took down an entire army of extraterrestrials," the pilot informed him. "I also learned that we are on the planet Earth. The primary species is human, though there are many forms of semi-intelligent animals that reside here as well."

Dooku nodded. So that's what the planet was called. Earth. A very interesting name for a planet. "I must find a way to make contact with my Master. I do not think we have the means of communication in this ship. The transmission is too weak. We've got to find another way. Do an analysis and see if you can find the nearest power source that is strong enough to allow me to call upon General Grievous and Darth Sideous. If we are to get the army down here, I need authorization from the latter and a means of transportation from the former." He paused thoughtfully. "Could this be the glorious battle I was promised?" he wondered.

The pilot nodded. "I will get on that right away, sir." He went back to pushing buttons and staring at screens. After a long pause, he turned back to face the expectant Dooku. "There is only one match that fits your criteria," he said. "It is called Stark Tower and it is not far from here. It is a very powerful source of energy. The information indicates that you will be able to make contact without any problem."

Dooku smiled. "Good. Any risks?"

"Unfortunately, yes. The resident of Stark Tower is a human known as Tony Stark." He pulled up a profile. "He was formerly a constructor of weapons and now works as a superhero known by many as 'Iron Man.' He is a billionaire and his intellect is extremely high. It also says here that he is a member of the 'Avengers.' If the information is correct, then the Avengers are the response team that S.H.I.E.L.D Director Nick Fury was talking about."

Dooku's smile melted. "So we need to get past this…Tony Stark…in order to make contact with Grievous and Sideous?" he asked.

"It has been confirmed, yes," the pilot answered.

"_And_ Stark is a member of the response team that Mace's replica will most likely contact regarding my capture, yes?"

"That is correct, sir."

Dooku facepalmed. "Wonderful." He was smart enough to figure out that Stark would not leave such a powerful source of energy unguarded. Plus, if Mace's duplicate was going to gather up the response team, it would very likely be at that location. He would be walking right into a prison if he went there. But if he sat around and did nothing, he would eventually be subdued by the S.H.I.E.L.D agency. So he had two options. Stride into Stark Tower and get captured or run away like a coward and eventually get captured. He knew that Option Three, flying home, would not apply because the ship would never be able to take them that far. Plus, how would he find that Portal again? No matter what he did, he would be taken away.

"Sir?" The pilot sounded uncertain. "What course of action are you going to take?"

Dooku sighed. He knew that the best option was going to Stark Tower. It was better to attempt to make contact rather than be silenced immediately. Looking at the pilot, an idea suddenly came to him. He smiled. "You're going to Stark Tower," he said.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sending you in to serve as a distraction." He went to the back of the ship and took out a collar. "I'm putting this around your neck so that I can stay in contact with you," he said, attaching it to the pilot. "If you reveal anything about me or my plan, then I can push this pretty little button right here."

He pushed a red button. A voice came from the collar: "Self-destruction activated. Commencement will begin in one minute." The pilot was suddenly very nervous indeed. Dooku pushed another button. "Self-destruction de-activated," the voice said.

"Do we understand each other?" Dooku asked. "Am I clear?"

"Y-yes, sir. _Crystal_ clear."

* * *

Tony walked out of the kitchen with a tray of drinks and set them on a table. He was completely alone if you didn't count JARVIS. The rest of the team would be there soon. He glanced at the time. It was nine-thirty. _They should be here any minute,_ he thought. _In the meantime, let's get this party started._ He hit a button, blasting music throughout the room.

"Sir, Captain Steve Rogers has arrived," JARVIS announced.

"Thanks, JARVIS," Tony said, turning the music down a little. "Let him in." When Steve came in, Tony joined him, drink in hand, and put an arm around his visitor. "Hey there, Cap," he greeted. "Make yourself at home. The others should be here soon enough."

Steve nodded tensely. "Did you look through the files yet?"

Tony nodded. "Of course. Our bad guy looks _way_ less threatening than Loki."

"Do you ever take things seriously, Mr. Stark?" a new voice asked, revealing Agent Natasha Romanoff.

"Only on Wednesdays," Tony called over his shoulder.

"It _is_ Wednesday," Natasha said pointedly.

"Oh." Tony stared at the ceiling. "Thanks for the advanced warning, JARVIS," he shouted, changing the subject. "I didn't even get a chance to greet our newest guest."

"Well, you can do that now," Natasha suggested.

Tony shrugged. "Welcome to Stark Tower, Agent Romanoff," he said formally. There was a glint in his eyes, though.

"If I heard you correctly, you have to be serious today." Agent Clint Barton's voice joined them.

"JARVIS!" Tony scowled.

"Sir, Agent Clint Barton has just arrived," JARVIS informed him.

"Don't get smart with me."

"Nice place," Barton remarked. "Last time I was here, I was pointing an arrow at Loki's face."

"Ah, yes, let's all stand here and reminisce in pleasant memories," Tony said.

"They're certainly memories," Bruce Banner said, stepping in. "Whether they are pleasant or not is up for debate."

Tony smiled and looked around. "Looks like the gang's all here," he said. "Except for our Norse god. Where is the Thor, anyway?"

"We don't know how to reach him," Fury said, joining the group. "He might come if he finds out he is needed. Either way, we need to get down to business. Everyone sit."

"Get down to business? That sounds serious," Tony complained.

"We're about to go to _war_, Stark. Everything gets serious from here on out," Fury said. The Avengers all sat down to listen to the Director. "I've got my best agents searching for this Count Dooku character. He will not be hiding for long. If we can catch him before he contacts his army, then we might not need any of you to take any action. But I'm calling in everyone now so that we'll all be prepared for the worst. Considering we know nothing of his origins, like we knew Loki's, we do not have the upper hand this time."

"Unless Dooku has a brother," Barton pointed out. "The situation might be the same as the last one if we can get someone on our side that knows a thing or two about what we are dealing with."

"That's a pretty big _if_, Agent," Fury said. "It's a lovely thought, but I doubt it will happen. We're on our own this time. Even Thor isn't here to help us."

"Who said?" a new voice boomed. Everyone turned around, shocked, to see Thor standing there as if he had been in the room the whole time. At first, they were relieved to see the god of thunder. Their relief was quickly crushed when they got an eyeful of Loki, whom Thor was holding by the arm. The god of mischief had his hands chained in the same way that they were when Thor had taken him back to Asgard the last time the brothers had been seen. He also had that muzzle over his mouth so that he could not speak.

The reactions were very similar. Fury and Natasha each pulled out a handgun. Barton, who always had his bow handy, whipped it out and positioned an arrow. Steve, Banner, and Tony did not have any weapons on them. Banner took several steps toward the door, ready to bolt if the other guy decided it was time to crash the party. Tony positioned himself to suit up if he had to, and Steve fell into a battle stance.

Loki's eyes sparkled with amusement. Had his mouth not been restrained, he would have laughed outright. The obvious paranoia in the room was downright comical. _Silly mortals,_ he thought. _Are they really that afraid of me? Their useless weapons compare not to the power of my magic. If only I was free…I would destroy every one of them one by one._ His gaze flickered to Banner. _Well, maybe not _that_ one…_

"Hey there, Thor," Tony said stiffly, his gaze flickering from Thor to the suit and back again.

"Are you _crazy_?" Natasha demanded. Though she addressed Thor, her eyes were fixed on Loki.

"Get that lunatic out of here!" Barton snapped.

"I do not like the way you talk," Thor thundered. "Put your weapons away. Loki is harmless."

"_Harmless_?" Natasha spat.

"Have you already forgotten what he has done to our world?" Steve asked.

"Of course I haven't!" Thor protested. "But look, all of you, upon my brother for a moment. Does he look like someone who is able to take any action? The chains on his wrists and muzzle on his mouth restrain him enough. He will do no harm while he is under my care." The Avengers still did not lower their weapons. "Do you not trust me?"

"We don't trust _him_, Thor," Natasha said simply.

"I am sorry, my friends. My mind is made up."

"You'll need briefing, then," Fury said resignedly. "I assume you do not know why the Avengers are reassembling?" Thor shook his head. "All right, then. His name is Count Dooku…"

While Fury explained this, the Avengers slowly began to back down, though Loki's frosty glare kept them on edge. Loki never particularly wanted to accompany his adopted brother on this mission for this very reason. He knew that he was hated here. He also knew that the feeling was mutual. He very much wanted to strangle everyone in the room. They were the ones that had ruined his plans. He would claim revenge on them one day. Just not today, seeing as he was heavily restrained.

Fury finally finished updating Thor on the issue at hand. The god of thunder frowned deeply. "I see," he said. "I do not care what you think of Loki; he has no connection to Count Dooku."

_I don't even know who this 'Count Dooku' is,_ Loki thought, _let alone did I recruit him. He's setting himself up for failure, that's for sure._

"So what do we do from here?" Tony asked, sitting down.

"We search," Fury said. "That's all we can do for the time being. I'm sure we'll all be informed if and when the army arrives. I wanted to call you all here to make sure that everyone is up to speed on the situation. Be prepared to be called in at any moment. We might hold other meetings here in the future, so be ready."

There was a pause as everyone nodded, taking in Fury's words. Tony glanced from one face to another. "So, who's up for pizza?" he asked finally. "My treat." Everyone rolled their eyes except Thor and Loki, who looked at him strangely. "What? Don't we ever get to get together for the heck of it? I mean, when's the next time we'll all be assembled here in my tower with nothing but down time until the big battle happens? We might as well enjoy ourselves for just one night."

_What is this mortal going on about?_ Loki wondered.

"Very well, Stark," Fury said, sighing. "Order in some pizza if you must. But make it fast, because I have a lot of work to do."

Stark immediately got to work. "What are everyone's preferences for toppings?" he asked. "JARVIS, get this down." The rest of the group eagerly gave their input, though the gods still looked confused. "Please tell me you've had pizza before, Thor," Tony said. Thor shook his head. "You've missed out, then. Tonight's your lucky night. Okay, JARVIS. Place the order for me, will you?"

Loki felt downright uncomfortable in the presence of the team. It was awkward standing there, surrounded by casual conversation. Everyone had forgotten that he was there. They were finally relaxing and catching up on everything. Fighting together for a common cause had united them in a way. Even Thor and Banner stepped closer to join in on the conversations that had erupted. Fury finally relented and took part as well. Loki was completely alone. When the pizza arrived, it got even more difficult for Loki to adjust. He hated to watch the Avengers talk and laugh and eat. Tony turned the music back up to make the atmosphere that much more comfortable for them. Even with the threat of war over their heads, the team took some time to enjoy themselves. _How wonderful,_ Loki scowled to himself.

The look on Thor's face when he tried the pizza was priceless. "I like it," he said. "MORE!" Everyone laughed.

"You could all stay here," Tony suggested. "It'd be fun, you know?"

"A slumber party?" Barton asked doubtfully.

"We'll need some form of containment for our war criminal friend here," Steve pointed out, finally giving Loki some attention.

"He is _not_ going into my helicarrier," Fury said adamantly. "I still do not agree with Thor's logic, whatever it may be, in bringing him here."

"What's done is done," Thor said with finality.

"What do we have to do? Take turns guarding him? I for one did not see that in the job description," Tony said.

"It is obvious that Loki isn't enjoying our company any more than we are his," Banner pointed out.

He was right, of course. Loki had had enough. The only problem was that he could not simply walk away. Thor wouldn't allow it. _Can we get out of here, please?_ He wanted so much to voice that he did not want to be there, but the muzzle kept him quiet as it always did. All he could do was express his distaste through his body language.

"I suppose that is our cue to leave," Thor said. "Loki is obviously getting restless."

_Finally, you catch on._ Loki took a few steps toward the door. Thor sprang to his feet and secured his brother by grabbing hold of his arm once again.

"Goodnight, my friends," Thor said.

"Where will you go for the night, Thor?" Natasha asked.

Thor paused thoughtfully. "I do not know," he admitted.

"Stay here," Tony urged him.

"What about Loki? Do you really want him to stay in Stark Tower?" Banner asked. "Is that a wise idea?"

"I'll find a place for him," Tony promised. "I'll find a place for all of you, in fact." He turned to Fury. "You can go do whatever it is big-time Directors do at this time of night. Rest assured that your team will be here in Stark Tower, one of the safest places around. If you need us, we can suit up on the go. All of you, get back to your homes and pack up. I won't take no for an answer. It's best this way."

"I hate to admit it, but Stark's right," Fury said. "It would be preferable if you all remained here where you can be easily accessed."

Tony's eyebrows shot up. "Do my ears deceive me? Did the great Nick Fury just admit that I am right?"

"Don't get used to it, Stark," Fury growled.

Tony shrugged. "Hey, you admitted it. And considering I've got security cameras _everywhere_, your admission has been archived. Congratulations. You've just been Stark'd."

On that note, everyone except Thor and Loki left to get their stuff.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the "only on Wednesdays" quote. Patrick Star does. I also do not own The Avengers or Star Wars, in case you guys didn't know that by now.**


	5. Redemption

**Epic reviews of epicness! Thanks to everyone who reviewed. It made my day to wake up to a bunch of emails that informed me of reviews on all three of my updates! I think the whole update-all-three-of-my-active-stories-at-one-time thing is working pretty well, so I'll keep it up. As a thank-you to everyone who has reviewed, here is the next set of updates from Yours Truly! Note that I update faster if I get a lot of reviews, because otherwise I'm stuck waiting to see if anyone will comment. Hint, hint. ;)**

**JapanRule555: I'm not entirely sure when to put them in yet. They will come, don't worry.**

**Ayy Kaim: THAT'S funny. That would so be me. Actually, I'd have a Loki cutout in my classroom. And my blackboard would say "I've been burdened with a glorious purpose…to instill knowledge in the ignorant Midgardians." I'm so glad you and AaylaKit got to see the Avengers! I hope you like this fic.**

**laureas: Ooh, good idea! Anakin vs. the Hulk. I'll store that in the Fanfiction Ideas section of my brain. And don't worry about Loki. It's coming.**

**AaylaKit: Yes! Winning! I was so worried that I wouldn't capture the Avengers' characterizations right, so that is very reassuring. Thank you. And YES Thor and Loki are EPIC and AWESOME and a LOT OF OTHER THINGS! :D**

**Pergjithshme: Thank you! Heck yeah on the "Loki'd" thing! Poor guy. That thing on his mouth has to be annoying. It has got to _go_. And since I've got a lot of great reviews, I pretty much decided to wait for yours so that I can update all three. I didn't see a review on _The Force of Mischief_ yet, though, but I figured I'd update all three anyway.**

* * *

That night, everyone was well-taken care of. Tony, of course, had seen to that. The Avengers, with the exception of Agent Barton, were sleeping soundly. It was Barton's turn to watch Loki, so neither prisoner nor guard was happy.

"Thor never should have brought you here," he grumbled bad-temperedly. Loki glared at him to indicate that he did not appreciate being there any more than Barton did. "You know, I really enjoyed being your puppet," the archer said, playing with his bow. "But personally, I think this is much better, don't you think?"

Loki leaned against the wall, his eyes on the ceiling. He knew that Barton actually semi-enjoyed this, though the agent wouldn't admit it. There was a degree of pleasure in being in a state of control over the very person that had once controlled him. No matter what one's virtues were, revenge was still a sweet feeling. Barton probably felt like he was giving Loki a taste of his own medicine. At this point, Loki didn't care. He wanted to be left alone, but that was not an option.

Barton put his bow away. "What's the point of this anyway?" he asked himself. "There's no way he's going anywhere."

_No, but it looks like _you_ are,_ Loki thought when his eyes fixed on an unfamiliar figure. Before he could think anything else, the figure shot Barton with a dart, making the agent collapse on the spot. _What are you doing?_ Loki eyed the stranger uncertainly.

"Sorry for the mess," a flat voice said. "I'm afraid you'll have to join him." He positioned to attack Loki in the same way he had knocked Barton out. Loki, however, ducked and rolled as soon as the dart was shot at him. "Don't make this difficult!" the figure warned, shooting more darts at Loki.

_Okay, fine._ Loki fell to the ground, went limp, and closed his eyes. He felt someone kick him in the side to make sure that he was out. He heard a satisfied sound that was not quite human enough to be a grunt, then retreating footsteps. As soon as the figure had gone, Loki opened his eyes and sat up. _What are you up to?_ He pulled himself to his feet, though it was difficult with his chained hands. _It would be helpful if I had my magic,_ he thought grimly. Shrugging, he resorted to silently following the unexpected visitor.

He reached an unfamiliar part of Stark's tower, where the stranger stood, whispering to someone who was not there. "I have infiltrated the building," he said. "It is safe to come in now."

"Is anyone awake?" a voice hissed. It sounded like it was coming from the collar around the figure's neck. "Did you take care of the system?"

"Everyone is asleep. I had to knock out two that were awake, but it is taken care of now. I successfully overrode the computer system that Stark calls 'JARVIS.' Meet me at these coordinates at your leisure, but I suggest you hurry because anyone could wake up at any time."

"I will be right there. Dooku out."

Loki watched, eyes wide, as the stranger began to set something up. It was some kind of device that he did not recognize. Perhaps it was what Dooku would use to make contact with his army. _All right, Laufeyson, time to come up with a plan._ He didn't know why he was doing this, but something compelled him to stop this plot immediately. He tried to tell himself that he was just doing it because he didn't want someone else trying to rule Midgard. Was that really the reason? No need to think about this now. He had important things to do. In one fluid motion, Loki jumped out and drop-kicked the stranger that had made contact with Dooku. It was made of a strange, un-flesh-like substance. Was it a machine? Before Loki could determine this, it immediately retaliated and attacked him back, nailing him in the stomach. Loki faltered for a moment, then got right back up and did a flying kick to the thing's head. It fell to the ground and used its arms to unbalance Loki's landing, causing the god of mischief to fall as well.

"Enough," a new voice said. Loki looked up to see the looming figure of Count Dooku, whom he had gotten a glimpse of in Thor's folder. "Pilot," he said, turning to the machine, "is it ready?"

"Mostly, sir," the pilot said. "He came in before I could get it finished."

"Droids are so useless," Dooku scowled. "I'll do it myself." He resumed the droid's work. "I _thought_ you said everyone was out."

"They were, sir. I had to tranquilize this one."

"Well, _obviously_ it didn't work."

Loki, who had listened idly to the conversation, got back to his feet and threw himself at Count Dooku. The cloaked man easily swatted him away and zapped him with what looked like lightning. _What is _that_?_ Loki thought, feeling electricity course through his body. He remembered when Captain America and Iron Man had taunted him about being afraid of lightning. He had simply stated that he wasn't fond of what followed. Now, as he lay helpless on the ground, he realized that there _was_ in fact a reason to be afraid of lightning.

"Like it?" Dooku sneered. "It's Force Lightning. The Dark Side of the Force has many uses, including silencing fools like you." He chuckled evilly. "Not that you aren't silenced already by that contraption around your mouth. If I had the time of day, I'd ask you why you are wearing such a thing. But, unfortunately, I don't have time to chat one-sidedly with you." He took the lightning away and returned to his work. "It's all set," he told the droid. "Make sure our friend here does not interfere."

"Yes, sir." The pilot grabbed Loki by the arm and yanked him to his feet.

"General," Dooku said. A blue hologram of a gigantic machine-like thing appeared in front of them. It was different in appearance from the pilot droid. Loki wasn't sure what to make of it. "Assemble the army and bring as many troops as you can spare. I will send you the coordinates and the means of getting here. Make sure that the ships are powerful. I will explain the situation upon your arrival."

"Yes, Count Dooku," the thing said in the strangest voice Loki had ever heard. "I will be there."

"I will be expecting you." The hologram disappeared. "Now for my Master." He stooped into a kneeling position and switched on another figure. This one wore a dark robe that covered most of his face. "Master Sideous," he greeted him.

"Lord Tyranus. You are doing very well. I sense that you are on your way to the glorious battle the Force has promised us."

Before Dooku could reply, Loki elbowed the droid as hard as he could and sprinted away. The pilot followed him on Dooku's orders. Since Loki had a head start, he was able to seize his chance to alert the Avengers. Since his hands were chained and his muzzle kept him from crying out, he resorted to body-slamming one of the doors in hopes that it would either break or the sound would wake the sleeping form inside the room. _Thor! Now would be a good time for one of you to _get up_!_

Loki was attacked once again by the droid; this time from behind. "You are making my job very difficult!" it said, latching its arm around the trickster's neck.

Loki tried to shake it off, but it had a firm lock on him and it was closing the airways to his lungs. He could not breathe. _Thor, please!_ He never would have thought that he would stoop to silently begging for his adoptive brother.

Just then, the door banged open, revealing a very disheveled and ticked-off Tony Stark. "What's going on here?" he demanded, then stopped when he saw the droid on Loki's back. Its grip loosened out of sheer surprise when Stark appeared, so it was easy for him to jump forward and knock the thing off of the god of mischief. "Loki, what happened?" Loki's eyes locked with Tony's, pleading for him to understand. He jerked his head toward Dooku, who was walking slowly toward them.

"Bravo, you defeated a puny droid," Dooku said, clapping. "I'd rather not have any witnesses for the time being, nor would I like either of you to alert the rest of the building, so I advise you to put your hands where I can see them and follow me quietly."

"So you're Count Dooku," Tony said, stalling. "Meet Loki. You two have got a lot in common. You know, the whole taking-over-the-Earth thing might make for good bonding time." Loki flashed him an irritated glance. Tony mouthed _Go with it._

Loki's gaze flickered from his mouth restraint to Dooku. He then shrugged, sending the message that he was subjugated and had been thwarted by the Avengers. His expression basically said, _Don't try it, or you'll look like me._

Tony nodded. "See? If we can beat this guy, you know we can beat you. Now, why don't you two sit down and chat while I get some drinks?"

Dooku laughed. "So _this_ is Loki." Loki nodded. "I'm guessing you are Tony Stark." Tony nodded as well. "Well, Stark, first of all, you do not know how powerful I am. Loki here, however, got a pretty good taste of it." He demonstrated by zapping Loki again, making him fall to the ground. Chuckling, he made the lightning disappear. "Second, I have an army."

"We have a Hulk," Tony said, slightly excited that he got to use that line again.

Loki snorted, then nodded avidly. _Don't mess with him,_ he thought. _You do not want them to bring out the green one._

Dooku looked confused, then shook his head. "You are stalling me." He zapped Tony backward and seized him by the shirt. "You're coming with me." He dragged Stark into a room and tossed him in a closet. Loki could only watch helplessly as Dooku knocked him out cold. "Sweet dreams," he said unpleasantly. He then turned to Loki. "You're next."

Loki steeled himself. He would not go down without a fight. If he had his magic, he would be able to defeat this man easily. Unfortunately, he would have to use brute force to defend himself. Before either of them could make the first move, Loki felt something very hard connect with his face. The droid had hit him with a frying pan. Everything started to spin and blur, and then there was darkness as Loki hit the ground.

* * *

"You're nuts. There's no way you're taking that thing off of him," Loki heard someone say. It was definitely one of the Avengers, but he could not tell which one.

"I am removing it," Thor's deep voice said. "My brother needs to tell us what happened last night."

"Don't you remember what he's capable of?" Loki identified that voice as Captain Steve Rogers.

"Of course I do." There was a pause. "Loki…Brother, wake up."

Loki's eyes fluttered open. The first thing he saw was Thor's worried face. The other Avengers were there too, but at a distance. Loki blinked, not entirely remembering where he was. In a moment, though, everything came back to him. Dooku. The army. Stark. His half-closed eyes immediately widened and he tried to scramble up into a sitting position. Pain suddenly shot into his head and he was on the ground again, clenching his fists. _Thor…Thor, please…You've got to listen to me…!_ He knew that his adoptive brother would not be able to hear his thoughts, so he willed Thor to understand that something was terribly wrong.

Thor put a hand on Loki's arm. "Hold still, brother," he urged. "You're hurt."

Loki didn't care. He had to warn them. His gaze flickered from one person to another, and he suddenly realized that Stark was not with them. Where was he? Loki tried once again to get up, but Thor pushed him back down. _Now's not the time for this, Thor,_ he thought desperately. _How can I make you understand? Just take the thing off of me._

Thor could not hear what Loki was thinking, but he knew what his brother wanted. "Friends, I am making an executive decision as prince of Asgard," he said. Without another word, Thor detached the muzzle from Loki's mouth.

Loki let out a breath of relief. Just having that removed made him feel so much better. He could only silently enjoy the freedom for a few moments, though. He had a lot to say and needed to say it quickly. "Thor, you've got to listen!" he said urgently.

"I'm listening, brother," Thor said.

"It's Dooku—he broke in last night. He came in with what he called a 'droid.' I assume it is some sort of intelligent robot. The droid came in and knocked Agent Barton out." His eyes averted to Barton. "Do you remember this?"

"I didn't see what attacked me, but I remember a little bit," Barton said. "When I woke up and saw that you weren't there, I thought that you'd played one of your tricks on me."

"Well, I didn't," Loki said curtly. He looked at Thor again. "It tried to do the same to me, so I pretended to be unconscious so that I could follow it. It then made contact with Count Dooku and brought him up here so that they could use Stark's energy source to contact the army."

"Did they?" Natasha prompted.

Loki nodded. "I couldn't stop them. He was too powerful. He used lightning, Thor. It came out of his hands. So I escaped and tried to alert Stark by slamming into his door."

"Where is Stark?" Steve demanded, leaning forward. "What happened to him?"

"There was a fight," Loki explained. "I think he is unconscious in a closet. Hopefully he is still there. I do not know, as I had a very unpleasant experience with the mortal's frying pan in my face."

"That explains a lot," Barton commented, eyeing the trickster god's injured face. "You certainly look like you've had better days."

"He hasn't looked that bad since the day he led the army against New York," Natasha commented. "I just thought I'd bring it up, considering most of you seem to forget who we are talking to here."

"He was in a pretty bad state after the other guy got him," Banner commented, shivering slightly at the memory.

"Can we focus on Dooku and Stark for a moment, please?" Steve asked. "We'll deal with Loki later. Right now, we need to find Tony."

"He's right here." Barton, who had slipped away from the group, called everybody over to the closet that Dooku had locked Tony in. "Help me get him out of here."

All of the Avengers except Thor went to help. The god of thunder was too busy staring down at Loki. "You tried to stop them, brother," he whispered. "Why?"

Loki shook his head. He still had no idea what his motives were last night. "It matters not. What matters now is that he has an army on the way. You've got to stop them from doing what the Chitauri did."

"No, Loki," Thor said. He gripped his brother's arm a little tighter. "_We've_ got to stop them."

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers (including the quote that I used directly from the movie) and I do not own Star Wars. I only own the pilot.**


	6. A New Addition

**I've been pretty busy lately, so don't squish me if I don't update on an every-other-daily basis! I'm trying. Three stories at once is no easy task, though I'm loving every minute of it! This one is my favorite to write, I think, considering Loki is kinda in the spotlight. The last chapter kept me on the edge of my seat even though it was I who was writing it! Just so you guys know, I didn't explicitly state that Loki is joining the Avengers. ;) Stay on the edge of your seats, because it hasn't become official yet. So here's the next chapter. Hope everyone reads, likes it, and REVIEWS!**

**Ayy of AWESOMENESS: I will never get annoyed by Loki's name. It is as awesome as he is! And I can't remember who AaylaKit's is. I remember yours, but I can't remember hers.**

**laureas: I haven't actually determined which part of the Clone Wars this is from. I'll leave that up to the readers to decide because I haven't seen the entire series yet. It's on my to-do list after updating fanfics. And yeah, I know right! Thor has expressed that he will always love his brother, even after what he did. So I decided to incorporate that a bit, mixed in with Loki's redemption.**

**Pergjithshme: THAT MADE ME HAPPY! :D Hey, that's just the kind of reaction I like. It makes me feel successful. I was so impatient about getting the latest chapter up because I was so excited for Loki's redemption. Now it builds from here. AND YOU JOINED FANFICTION! I just got an email that you added me to your favorite authors list and I was like OMG PERGJITHSHME GOT AN ACCOUNT!**

**AaylaKit: Actually, it's Tony Stark's frying pan. The droid stole it from the kitchen. I should have clarified. So Ayy basically said that you want your weakness in the next chapter, though I do not remember what it is. What is it again? I won't use it against you. ;)**

**Ptroxsora: Out of pure curiosity, what video game was it?**

* * *

Loki didn't quite comprehend what Thor was getting at. "Are you suggesting that I join your team?" he asked. He didn't believe for one second that the rest of the Avengers would approve. "How do you even know I am telling the truth? I am known for—"

"Lies, yes," Thor said. "The proof is in your face, Loki. You wouldn't go this far for a simple joke or trick. You're truly injured and obviously shaken. The way you begged me to listen to you…" He shook his head. "If you are lying, then you are doing a far better job of it than even you are capable of." He gazed into his brother's intense green eyes. "I think this might be the moment I've been hoping for. I never thought that bringing you here would do much good, but I had to try. If everything truly happened as you said, then you have earned my trust at least."

Loki nodded weakly. "It did, Thor. I swear it."

"I believe you. The issue at hand is getting _them_ to believe you."

"That won't be too hard," Natasha said, stepping out of the room. "Tony told us everything that he witnessed last night."

"Dooku was indeed here," Banner added. "Stark didn't see him call the army, but he saw the droid attacking Loki. He even saw Dooku with his own eyes. He confirmed what you said about the lightning coming out of his hands." He shivered at the thought.

Tony joined them, leaning on Steve for support. "They overrode JARVIS," he said faintly. "I didn't know that was even possible."

"Yes, the great Tony Stark finally failed at something," Natasha said. "You sound awfully surprised."

"That is because he has an ego the size of this building," Barton pointed out.

"Hey, now," Tony objected. "Don't insult the injured. Loki and I went through a lot last night. Show some consideration for me at least. I could care less what you do to the villain here. I'm just saying, though, that what Loki told you was true. He fought pretty well for someone who was restrained."

"Do you think Loki could help us?" Banner wondered.

Thor turned to Loki. "Would you be _willing_ to help us, brother?" he asked.

Loki looked from one Avenger to another, taking in their reactions. Natasha looked skeptical, while Tony seemed indifferent. Banner was downright uncomfortable, as he always was. He made sure to stay slightly distanced from the group. Uncertainty clouded his features. Barton's expression said that it was non-negotiable with him; he would not put up with having the guy that controlled him as part of the team. Steve was unsure what to think. He almost always had a plan, but wasn't much of a help with this type of thing. It was Thor's expression that compelled Loki's response, however. Hopeful. Encouraging.

"Yes," he said at last. "I will help you."

* * *

"No. No, no, and no. I will not have it." Fury shook his head, his face indicating that this was not up for debate. They were standing in Tony's living room, discussing Loki's fate. "It was a stretch permitting you to bring him here in the first place, Thor, but this is entirely different. To even imply that this criminal joins the Avengers Initiative is asking for disaster."

"Might I remind you that my brother fought for us," Thor said firmly. "He faced Count Dooku alone and tried to stop him from calling his army."

"If he had been successful, I might have considered granting him amnesty," Fury said. "But he was not successful, nor is there any proof to indicate that everything went as he said."

"But if he _had_ been successful, then we would have no need of his assistance," Tony pointed out.

"Whose side are _you_ on?" Natasha demanded.

Tony shrugged. "I'm just saying." He wouldn't admit it, but he and Loki _did_ kind of have a connection last night. The god of mischief had known exactly what facial expressions to make in response to Tony's witty remarks to Count Dooku. Loki had expressed submission and seemed to admit that the Avengers were a team that was not to be messed with. When Tony said to go along with it, Loki had indeed gone along with it.

"I don't care," Fury said stubbornly. "Loki is a war criminal that should be answering for his crimes rather than standing here, asking to become one of us."

"Loki himself is not asking," Thor argued. "It is I who is asking you, as Prince of Asgard and member of the Avengers team. Loki agreed to help us and, like it or not, we are in need of his abilities if we are to take on our new enemy."

"He used his abilities to control me!" Barton reminded them. "If you want my vote, I say we lock this monster up and never let him see the light of day again."

Natasha nodded. "He is evil," she said. "Didn't you hear what he threatened to do to Agent Barton after he was finished with the war? He stood there, in that cage of his, and talked about giving Clint a slow, painful death. Do any of you think that he wouldn't do that to any of us if he was given the chance?"

"I will agree that the other guy doesn't particularly like Loki much," Banner said. "I did not like the way he manipulated my emotions."

"But if he wanted to hurt us, he probably would have by now," Steve said uncertainly. "You realize that he hasn't got anything binding him at the moment. The only thing that holds him in place is Thor's grip on his arm."

Tony nodded. "He has a point." Tony tended to be very agreeable when it came to the Captain. They understood each other in a way that they hadn't when they first met. They didn't get along at all at first, but after everything that happened, they shared a silent agreement. A quasi-bond of sorts.

"I fully believe that Loki will be a great addition to our team," Thor said.

Fury's frown deepened. "Listen to yourself, Thor. You promised Asgardian justice for him. You can't forget what he has done."

Loki remained quiet during this debate. He did not like the way the Avengers were divided over him. They were a team. Why were they fighting? He never expected to feel this way, but he actually wanted the arguments to stop. Normally, he would take pleasure in severed ties between his enemies, but did he really consider them enemies anymore? _What am I doing?_ Loki asked himself. _How could I actually feel anything toward this group? They are my nemeses. They hate me. Why don't I hate them back anymore?_

"I say we cast a vote," Tony said.

Banner shook his head. He was still unsure as to what his position was on the issue, so how could he state his opinion? "That is not a wise idea. I mean, some of us are solid on their stances, but a couple don't know what to think at this point."

"If you ask me, things don't look good for Loki," Steve said. "At least two are completely against the idea if you don't count Fury."

"I will not take part in this vote unless there is a three-to-three tie, in which case I will reaffirm my earlier judgment," Fury said.

"All right," Tony said. "We all know what Thor thinks, so that's one for Loki. Natasha and Barton made it pretty clear that they don't want anything to do with him, so let's say that that's two for Fury. It's all down to me, Cap, and Banner. Anything you want to say before we decide, Loki?"

"Yes, Loki," Thor said, "maybe you can convince them that you are on our side here. Say something, brother."

Loki shook his head. He did not want to speak. He felt that opening his mouth would only make things worse. _Just state your votes and get it over with,_ he thought, knowing what the outcome would be. He had no chance of joining the Avengers. They all had reasons to be angry with him. His only supporter, he knew, would be his brother. _Adoptive brother,_ a voice in his head reminded him. _I don't care, _Loki shot back. He wasn't quite ready to consider Thor his brother again, but perhaps…perhaps things would be different. Most likely not, though, because if Fury had his way, the god of mischief would be locked away for the duration of his stay on Midgard. And where would he be upon return to Asgard? Locked up. Loki dreaded the replacement of the muzzle on his mouth and chains on his hands. He hated being contained. He should've been used to it by now, but it was still a major blow to his pride to be kept a prisoner.

"Please speak, Loki," Thor urged him.

Loki sighed. "If you want my opinion, I'd say that this is a lost cause. Stop fighting for me, Thor. It won't do any good."

Tony glanced from Thor to Loki and back again. "I vote for Loki," he said. The agents flashed him looks of surprise and betrayal. "What? Don't look at me like that." He turned to face the god in question. "Look, I hated being thrown out a window. Believe me, that wasn't pleasant. But seeing you fight for us last night got me thinking. I'm not a sentimental man by nature, but I know hero material when I see it. Don't expect me to compliment you again. I'm just stating my reason."

Loki nodded. "Thank you, Stark."

"Did he just thank me?" Tony's eyebrows rose. "Wow. Did you catch that, JARVIS? I know you heard it, Fury." He smirked. "I'll be replaying that a few times before I fully believe it."

"It is like you said—do not expect me to compliment you again," Loki said. "You will not hear those words come out of my mouth a second time."

Tony laughed. "I like this guy. He's not so bad when he's not trying to take over the Earth. Okay, Steve and Banner. It's down to you two. Your votes will determine which way this is going." He glanced at Loki. "You need four votes, dude. Think you can handle the pressure?"

Loki shook his head. "You and I both know how this will end. I appreciate your support, Stark, but let's be honest here, which is something I am _not_ good at, might I add. I do not intend to get my hopes up on a lost cause."

"Loki," Steve said unexpectedly. "I vote for Loki."

Everyone was quiet. After lengthened silence, Tony said, "Good choice, Cap. Banner? Your vote determines whether Fury has to stick his nose in our business or not."

Banner hated being the deciding vote. Everyone knew that his vote could go either way. Loki had played a huge part in his unleashing of "the other guy" on the helicarrier. He would not forget the hate relationship they had shared when Loki had demeaned him and he had retaliated by smashing the god into the ground. He would not forget the way the god of mischief had talked to him that day, nor would he forget the awful destruction his "army" had wrought on New York. That being said, Banner knew what it was like to be considered a monster. The doctor was perhaps one of the most misunderstood men on the planet. Only the Avengers truly made him feel like he mattered.

At last, Banner let out a sigh and said, "This is a very difficult decision to make. I'm not big on making hard decisions. But I can't overlook the fact that Loki would make a very helpful addition to the team. I might regret this later, but…I say we should give him a chance."

"Are you happy, Fury?" Loki seethed. "I'll be imprisoned for the rest of my—wait. Did you say…?"

Banner nodded. "If you make me unleash the other guy, you will regret this day." He smiled. "Puny god."

Thor's grip on Loki's arm slackened and a smile broke out across his face. Fury hands clenched into fists at his sides. Natasha and Barton were, to say the least, royally ticked off. "He _killed_ Agent Coulson!" she reminded them fiercely.

Fury raised a hand for silence. "The majority has spoken. There is nothing that can be changed at this point. If Loki is to join us, then we might as well put him to work. We need the full story on what he witnessed last night. What words were passed and what exactly did you see?"

Loki took a breath and launched into what happened. "The droid shot some sort of dart at Agent Barton," he explained.

"A tranquilizer," Fury said. "Continue."

Loki went on to tell them about how he followed the droid and witnessed it making contact with Count Dooku. The Avengers cringed when he described the Force Lightning and the eventual frying-pan-to-the-face thing. "That is all I saw," he finished. "Obviously, he escaped. I haven't a clue where he went."

"That's okay, brother," Thor reassured him. "Your story was enough to give us a lead on his whereabouts."

"Wait…he has a _master_?" Tony demanded. "Aw, he's a minion. If the underling can shoot lightning out of his hand, what the hell can the master do?"

"I can't answer that," Loki admitted. "The master didn't seem to have any intention of coming here. He mentioned a glorious battle. He acted as if he foresaw this whole thing."

"Did he foresee who would win? That's the important part," Tony said.

Loki shook his head. "He did not indicate that he had any idea. He just seemed to see a battle coming."

"Well, it doesn't take a psychic to see that a battle is coming," Banner pointed out.

"True. We might have to suit up sooner rather than later," Tony said grimly.

Fury nodded. "When the army arrives—and it will, if Loki's story is accurate—then the battle is coming and we need to prepare ourselves. Did he indicate what the army looked like? What are we dealing with?"

Loki shook his head. "He just said he has an army."

"And I told him that we have a Hulk," Tony said, draping an army around Banner's shoulders. Banner grimaced.

Fury was…well…furious. "You revealed our greatest weapon," he said severely.

"He doesn't even know what a Hulk is," Tony said defensively.

"So is that is what I am to you? Just a weapon?" Banner asked unhappily.

"No, Doctor," Natasha said, coming to Fury's rescue. "The other guy is."

Banner shook his head. "_That's_ reassuring," he said bitterly.

"Don't take it the wrong way, mate," Tony said. "It's Fury. He lives and breathes weapons."

Banner shrugged. "I suppose."

Before anyone else could say anything, they heard a cackling noise nearby. It sounded like static on a radio. "What's that?" Barton asked.

Loki stood up and walked toward the device that Dooku had set up last night. "I forgot to mention that he left it sitting there," he said. "I think there is a transmission coming from it."

* * *

**More cliffhangers, I love it! Questions to ponder: Who is sending the Avengers a transmission? Will they be able to pick it up in time? Any guesses as to who is trying to contact them? ;) Not telling! You'll have to wait for the next installment.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**


	7. Transmission

**Here's the next chapter! Sorry I waited so long. I was mostly waiting on reviews for this fic and _The Force of Mischief_. I was trying to figure out if I should end _The Force of Mischief_ or not, and I wasn't getting much feedback. So I love how a lot of you tried to guess who sent the transmission. Your curiosity will now be quenched! Here it goes!**

**laureas: Hmm…I didn't think of that. You always come up with such good ideas/points! If (when?) the Jedi come in, they'll definitely be curious about "the other guy." I tried to make the votes realistic, but I also wanted a majority in favor of Loki, so I had to stretch it a little bit. Hope it was real enough anyway!**

**AaylaKit: Do not be ashamed of being called a fangirl. I am a Loki fangirl. Either way, as far as your guess goes…keep reading. ;)**

**Ptroxsora: Awesome! My best friend is really into Kingdom Hearts, though I know very little about it.**

**Pergjithshme: Let it be known that one of your guesses is correct. You'll find out which one soon enough.**

* * *

The Avengers stared uncertainly at the device, though Loki was the only one brave enough to stand near it. "Stark? Considering that this is your building—_and_ you are best at this type of thing—I suggest you come over here and see if you can pick up this transmission."

"Why don't you do it?" Tony asked.

"I am of Asgard. Our technology is different from yours," Loki pointed out. He smirked. "Don't tell me that you are afraid?"

Tony jumped to his feet a little too quickly. "Out of the way, princess." Loki did not look like he appreciated the nickname. Tony didn't care. He lightly pushed Loki out of the way and started working on the device, trying to hack into the communication system. "Here—I think I can retrieve it," he said, concentrating. "Someone is trying to contact us right now. I'm pretty sure I can—got it!"

"Can anyone…ear…me…?" a voice of static asked.

"You're up, Loki!" Tony said, smirking.

Loki rolled his eyes. "You are a child, Stark." He leaned closer to the device. "Repeat."

"Can anyone hear me? This is Anakin Skywalker. State your identity."

Fury strolled up and pushed Loki away. Loki made a face. "Why all the shoving? You both could have asked me politely to move and I would have done so."

Fury ignored him. "Listen to me. My name is—"

"Mace?" the voice, Anakin, demanded. "Where are you?"

Tony burst out laughing. "What did he just call you?"

Fury lifted a hand. "Enough, Stark." He returned to conversing with Anakin. "You have the identity wrong. I am Director Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D and I would like to know who is speaking."

"Stop joking with me, Mace," Anakin said. "Seriously, what's going on? I caught a suspicious transmission from that source. It involved Separatists, though I could not catch the conversation in time."

"My name is not Mace," Fury growled, getting irritated.

"Let me try!" Tony said eagerly, leaning closer so that Anakin could hear him. "I think we got off on the wrong foot. Let's start over. You've reached Stark Tower, current residence of the Avengers. We're not in right now, as we are trying to put an end to a plot to destroy our world, so please leave a message."

"Huh?" Anakin sounded confused.

"Out of the way," Natasha said. She bumped into Loki on the way over. She glared at him and he grimaced. "We have reason to believe," she began, "that a hostile transmission was exchanged last night between a sinister man that intends to take over our world."

Barton joined in. "Do you know anything about a Count Dooku?" he asked.

There was silence on the other end for several moments. Then, Anakin said sharply, "What planet are you from? What do you know about Dooku's whereabouts?"

"He infiltrated my tower and overrode my computer system," Tony complained. "He also locked me in a closet, and—"

"He hit _me_ with a frying pan," Loki interjected, rubbing his face.

"Wow. Sounds like you had quite an ordeal." There was laughter. "How many of you are there? I'm hearing lots of different voices," Anakin said.

"There are eight," Steve said.

"We are all teaming up to put an end to Dooku's attempted reign," Banner added.

"Right. Well, go ahead and tell me everything that happened last night. Whatever you can tell me could be very helpful to my operation as well as yours," Anakin told them. "Let me get my partner in here. I'm sure he'd be very interested to hear about what Dooku's been doing. We haven't had a trace of his whereabouts in a long time." There was a long pause. The Avengers waited in silence for the voices to return. "Okay, I'm back," Anakin said. "I've got Obi-Wan Kenobi with me. Say hi to the people, Obi-Wan!"

"Hello there," a new voice, Obi-Wan, said.

"All right, brother," Thor said. "Tell them what happened." He spoke a little louder for the two strangers to hear. "My brother, Loki, will tell you everything that occurred. He was the core witness."

Loki nodded and explained everything. He ended by stating who they were and what they were trying to do. "We call ourselves the Avengers," he said, tentative with the word _we_. "Anything you can tell us about him would be much appreciated."

There was a pause, as if Anakin and Obi-Wan were taking this all in. Finally, Obi-Wan spoke. "We are Jedi, keepers of the peace. Currently, the Republic is at war with a group called the Separatists, which is headed by Count Dooku. We apologize for the war spreading to your planet. We do not wish to harm developing systems. Judging by your description, you are an uncharted planet."

"If you are at war, then you must have an army," Steve said, sounding eager.

"Yup, we've got one," Anakin said, sounding proud. "They're clone troopers, designed with intelligent minds fit for combat and strategy. Every single one of them was trained to follow orders without question, yet think on their feet at the same time. Our army is far superior to Dooku's mindless droids."

"Great," Tony said. "So when can you get here?"

"Excuse me?" Obi-Wan sounded surprised.

"You're going to assist us, right?" Natasha asked. "You said yourself that you need to find Count Dooku. Well, Count Dooku is here."

"With an army, might I add," Barton said.

There was another pause. At last, Anakin said, "Maybe we could take this up with the Jedi Council. Don't give me that look, Obi-Wan. We've got to help them! They obviously can't take on the droids alone."

"You have not met my brother," Loki mused. Thor laughed and punched him lightly in the arm.

"What are your abilities, then?" Anakin asked. "We need to get an idea of who you are and how well you can defend yourselves."

"How about we do a headcount?" Tony suggested, thinking of the time that he had done the same thing when addressing Loki not too long ago.

"How about those two come here first and see us for themselves?" Natasha suggested. "If they think they can help us, they could bring the army."

"That sounds fair," Anakin said. "What do you say, Obi-Wan?"

"I don't like the idea of being away from the war, but if it means that we'll be closer to Dooku…"

"It's settled, then. We'll be right over. Give us your coordinates and we'll find you."

* * *

Time passed. The Avengers weren't entirely sure how to pass the time until the Jedi arrived. Fury kept himself pretty busy. He came and went frequently so that he could check on the agents that were trying to track Dooku. Banner and Tony worked in the lab, while Barton and Natasha chatted quietly. Steve sat in silence, listening to Thor and Loki discuss Asgardian matters.

"You know what your father will do to me when we return," Loki said. "Need I remind you that I am a prisoner there that has yet to face the trial? He is probably furious right now and would come here to get me if he could."

"I will not let anything bad happen to you, brother," Thor said stubbornly.

"But what about the Chitauri? Even if you manage to convince the All-Father to grant me amnesty, there is no consoling those that recruited me to do their bidding. They were planning to rule the universe with the power of the Tesseract. They warned me that if I failed…" He trailed off, trembling at the memory.

"Brother, you're shaking." Thor put a hand on Loki's arm. "What did they threaten you with?" he prompted.

"I—They—I'm not sure. They did not specify." _If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can't find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain._ "I'm going to put you all in danger," he realized aloud, drawing in a sharp breath. "I need to leave. I need to go far away…" He pulled himself to his feet. "I must go as far away from all of you as I possibly can."

"No, Loki!" Thor said, jumping up as well. The sudden movement of the Asgardian brothers had drawn the attention of the other Avengers. "We will protect you, I promise. Everyone in this building is willing to stand in your defense." Loki snorted. "All right, maybe not. But you are part of this team now. We need you."

Before Loki could reply, JARVIS interrupted. "Sir, there are visitors that are trying to gain entry. Should they be admitted?"

"That depends," Tony said. "Do they have pizza?"

"No time for games, Stark," Fury said. "It could either be Dooku or our Jedi guests. Let's have a visual."

"Give us a visual, JARVIS," Tony said, smirking. "JARVIS only answers to me. So be nice to me from now on."

A screen revealed two men standing alone in robes and tunics. There was a little droid-type thing next to them, but it did not look threatening. Also, the group noted the presence of a smaller figure wearing a hood over her head. They couldn't identify what or who she was. "Could we come in, please?" one of them said. The voice distinctly resembled Anakin's. "We've gotten some strange stares, so we'd like to get out of the environment here."

"Let them in," Tony ordered.

Before long, the Avengers were graced by the presence of three Jedi and a droid. The newcomers bowed. Thor and Loki subconsciously placed their fists over their hearts. Steve saluted, the agents nodded in greeting, Banner waved awkwardly, and Tony waved not-so-awkwardly. Fury went straight to business. "You are Anakin and Obi-Wan?" he asked.

"Yep," Anakin said. "Sup?"

"Greetings," Obi-Wan said a bit more politely. "So you are the Avengers. Let's all sit down and discuss this war."

"Good idea. Some drinks would be nice," Tony said. "Loki!"

Loki made a face. "Really, Stark? Are you asking to be thrown out a window again? Because that would be all too easy for me."

It was Tony's turn to make face. "Are you trying to get yourself thrown out of the group?"

"No. Threatening," Loki said, imitating the tone that Tony had used when he had been "threatening" the god a while back.

"Are we going to discuss this or what?" Tony asked, redirecting the conversation.

Anakin and Obi-Wan chuckled. "No, I'm enjoying this," the former said.

"Too bad," Fury said.

"You _seriously_ resemble Mace. With an eyepatch," Anakin said.

Fury's frown deepened. "We need to come up with a strategy," he began. "I was thinking—"

"Hold the phone," Tony said. "We haven't even gotten to know each other yet! Shouldn't we figure out a thing or two about who we're fighting with? I mean, the Avengers are pretty close. But we don't know anything about these two, nor do they know who we are and what we fight for. What do you say, gang? Let's have some group bonding time."

"That was very inspiring, Stark," Natasha said dryly.

"He has a point, though," Steve said, coming to Tony's defense. "As a soldier, I know how important it is to know who you have by your side. Trust is key in battle."

"Okay, I'll start," Anakin said. "Hey guys, I'm Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight. This is my counterpart and former mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and my apprentice, Ahsoka Tano. You already know that we're fighting a war that has spread a little too far for our liking. Maybe, once we know a little more about you, we can determine if the Council will send aid to your planet."

"All right, let's do that headcount I was talking about earlier," Tony said. "You've got Thor, the god of thunder. He can basically summon thunder and lightning with the fancy hammer of his."

Thor flipped Mjolnir in his hand. "Would you like me to demonstrate?" he asked.

Loki shook his head. "Don't," he murmured. "I'm sure they believe you," he added quickly.

Thor shrugged and nodded for Tony to continue. "Oooooookay, I guess I'm the designated introducer here. There's the Super Soldier, Captain America, AKA Steve Rogers. Then there's a pair of master assassins, one of which is a pro with a bow."

Loki winced. "I've had my fair share of his ability, thank you," he said, referring to the arrow that had exploded him to his doom with the Hulk.

"Right. Mr. Personality over here is Loki, god of mischief. He's got wicked magical skills and recently joined our team. I won't get into the how's and why's of it. He can tell you himself later. Basically, he knows the strategies of someone who wants to take over the Earth, considering he _tried to do it once_. Moving on," he added when Obi-Wan and Anakin turned shocked expressions on Loki. "Last, but not least, we've got the big guy. Bruce Banner here is too humble to admit it, but he's the heart of the Avengers Initiative. He's super smart _and_ he can turn into a gigantic green rage monster whenever he feels like it."

Banner shook his head. "It's unstable. It's not as great as he makes it out to be."

"Unstable or not, that thing almost killed me," Loki said stiffly.

"What about you?" Anakin asked. "Any special powers?"

"_I_ am the 'genius billionaire playboy philanthropist' that designed a suit of armor that can do pretty much anything you want it to. Hopefully, you'll get to see a demonstration of all of our powers. For now, you'll just have to take my word for it."

Anakin nodded and turned toward the device that the Avengers had used to speak to the Jedi. "Obi-Wan and I will contact the Jedi Council immediately."

* * *

**AaylaKit nailed it, pretty much. What do you guys think? Would it be epic or what if Mace and Fury met? Just saying. REVIEW! Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or Star Wars, nor do I own any of the quotes that incidentally made their way into this chapter.**


	8. The Meeting

**Sorry, sorry, sorry! OMG, I feel so bad for not updating, but it was out of my hands. First of all, I moved. So it took a while to get moved into the new house. _Then_ my laptop got a virus. My fault. I won't express my opinion of a certain video website, as it might get me in trouble on Fanfiction. However, all I can tell you guys is that some sites are dangerous and I do not recommend putting your computers at risk. Well, I fixed it. Sort of. Everything was wiped, but fear not. My fanfics were saved on a flash drive, so I had no trouble updating. Sorry again, and let it be known that my updates will come more frequently. I posted this message on _The Portal of Destiny_ as well so that everyone who knows me will understand why the updates stopped for a period of time. I sure hope I didn't lose anyone over it!**

**laureas: Yeah, I usually make Anakin act like that (see _Pwning and Gaming_ for reference). I'll try to calm him down a bit. And sure, I think it'd be cool for them to meet in hologram form. Thanks for the idea!**

**Pergjithshme: Yup, this Crossover wouldn't be complete if the Jedi weren't involved! :D Mace and Fury shall meet. I will find a way to incorporate it.**

**Raychaell Dionzeros: I'm so glad you like it!**

**AaylaKit: Aw, man, that was awesome! I laughed. Meh, now I feel like Tony's comment pales in comparison to the scenario you set up. And don't worry. I will not hurt Loki. I love him too much to let anything like that happen to him. I'm not sure if the Chitauri will make an appearance or not, but Thor will take care of anything that threatens his brother, I assure you. ;)**

**Ptroxsora: I know, I loved that part of the movie. It was awesome!**

**JapanRules555: Great! I always wonder if I capture his character the right way, so your review is very reassuring.**

**Pirate-Spy-Demigod-Wizard: Hi, I remember you! Looks like the majority rules that a meeting is in order between Fury and Mace. Looks like there will be one, then!**

**Jess Marylin: Glad you like it!**

**LAGR86: You're welcome! By the way, your email didn't show up. It just displayed as "" which is probably Fanfiction keeping personal information from being displayed to others.**

**Irish-Brigid: Yeah, I have to agree on…well…everything you said there. Thor is nuts, Loki is awesome (even when hit with a frying pan), bad guys are ignorant, and you're right, Loki would have major self-esteem issues if Dooku was successful.**

**chris: I will, I promise. Read the Author's Note for an explanation as to why I haven't updated in a while. I wrote and finished two fanfics already, so I'm pretty reliable when it comes to completing stories.**

**Darth Ocnarf: I'm glad you like it! I can kind of see what you're saying there, where the conflict between Loki and Dooku foreshadows a larger-scale battle.**

**Guest: Okay, I'll include Yoda and Fury and Mace shall meet, whether it be in hologram form or in person.**

**Zanondalf1992: I certainly am not the only one who wonders what follows the Avengers. I figured I'd type something up that would interest others as well as myself.**

**AaylaKit: I hate the Guest thing too. My suggestion is that you create a Fanfiction account just for reading and not for writing unless you end up wanting to write. That way you can use your pen name. Ayy can do the same thing.**

* * *

"How do you intend to do that?" Loki inquired. There was no aggression in his tone. Just mild curiosity.

Anakin smiled. "I was hoping you'd ask," he said, approaching the device Dooku had used to make contact with his world. "Is this what you used? Poorly-put-together, but he nailed the basics. Hmm. I think I can re-wire it to make it a bit more useful to us." He rubbed his hands together before beginning to fix the machine.

"Any way we can help?" Banner offered.

Anakin shook his head. "No offense intended, but I don't think any of you are quite at the level of understanding the technological advancements that I am getting into here." His gaze hardened as he concentrated on his work. Nothing was equal to Anakin Skywalker bonding with machinery. His sense of purpose and connection to the task at hand was unmatched by any being in the universe.

"What makes you the expert?" Tony asked, clearly jealous that he was not the one making the necessary adjustments to increase the quality of the device.

Anakin shrugged, still intensely fixed on his work. "I can fix anything," he said simply. "I've had this talent since I was a boy."

"Show-off," Tony mumbled.

Thor and Loki exchanged amused glances, then turned away quickly, suddenly feeling awkward at the moment of bonding that they had just shared. Neither was ready to admit that their severed ties were beginning to mend themselves. It would take time to heal the wounds of the past, and both knew it.

"Artoo, help me out here," Anakin said. "Snips, you've been awfully quiet since we've arrived. That's not like you."

The Avengers looked around, slightly confused. None of them knew who he had been addressing, but the small female figure seemed to recognize that he was talking to her. They were surprised to hear her respond. "Sorry, Master. I figured I'd let you do the talking this time."

"Sit down or something. I hate the way you're standing at a respectful distance like you actually care about being…well…respectful. At least take that hood off. We're away from the community. No one will stare at you here. Well, these guys might, but they won't blab. Right?"

"What is he talking about?" Loki asked the nearest Avenger, who happened to be Barton. The agent acted as though the god had not spoken, making the silence that followed Loki's question that much more awkward.

Finally, the girl let out a sigh and pulled her hood down, revealing her non-human face. Everyone gazed at her with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty. Loki and Thor were the only ones who did not regard her appearance as much of a surprise. Considering both of them had been to different realms before, foreign species did not bother them. "I'm a Togruta," she explained. "Not human, obviously, like the rest of you."

Loki broke the ice. "We're not all human, you know. Being one of the only gods in the room does not add to my comfort levels in the slightest." He smiled faintly. "Rest assured that you are not the only one that feels out of place here. Let me remind you that the mortals in this room have not been beyond their own planet, so they know little to nothing about those that reside outside of Midgard."

Thor nodded his agreement. "Loki and I have never encountered anyone like you, but that means little. Feel free to sit if you want."

"I still want a drink," Tony announced, shattering any awkwardness that might have remained after Loki's words of reassurance. "I'll try this again. Loki!"

Loki rolled his eyes. "I will not humor you, nor will I stoop to serving drinks to mortals. If you want a drink, you can get it yourself."

"Grouchy," Tony mumbled.

Loki turned his attention away from the whining mortal and surveyed the others in the room. His adept attention to the details of others' feelings served him well in this instance, given that he was in a room full of people that could potentially threaten him. Banner had inched over to the door, resuming a post that he seemed determined to keep in case the other guy decided to pay a visit. Fury stood near the kitchen, his hand on his belt and his eye flickering around the room suspiciously. Thor sat on one side of Loki, staring at the floor. Thor was not much of a thinker, but today was in no short supply of surprises. Barton sat on Loki's other side, his gaze fixed on the wall. It was no secret that the god of mischief was front and center in his mind. Natasha's thoughts were even clearer, given the fact that she was staring at Loki as if he had horns and a tail. Steve sat beside Tony, silently observing the scene as Loki was doing. Anakin worked, Obi-Wan watched, the droid helped, and Ahsoka finally sat on Tony's other side.

"So how _did_ this war start?" Loki asked, addressing any of the three Jedi that felt compelled to answer him.

Anakin was busy and Obi-Wan was absorbed in his observation of Anakin's work, so Ahsoka answered. "It's kind of a conflict between the Republic and those that do not agree with us. It mostly consists of systems that have separated from the Republic, which led to the name 'Separatist.' Count Dooku used to be a Jedi, but…" She trailed off.

"He left to pursue his political ideals," Obi-Wan finished for her. He finally turned his attention to the Avengers.

Tony sighed dramatically. "Politics."

"Enough said," Steve agreed.

"Politics could twist anyone beyond recognition," Natasha murmured.

"We do not struggle with that on Asgard the way you do," Thor said.

"This whole thing kind of reminds me of the Civil War. The Northern and Southern parts of the settled area of the United States went to war over slavery," Steve said thoughtfully.

"_Please_ don't get us involved in a history lesson," Tony begged.

"Got it!" Anakin said proudly, striding over to join the group assembled on the couch. "We can contact the Council now if you wish to speak with them. Obi-Wan and I are going to address them anyway, but if you want to sit in on the meeting, it certainly wouldn't hurt."

"As long as it doesn't involve boring debates," Tony said, raising an index finger.

"Finally, someone who gets me!" Anakin said. He hated boring debates, which seemed to be the core of the Council's being. "There's more debate than action involved. Nothing gets done. If I was on the Council, I'd work harder to take action rather than discuss whether or not action should be taken."

"It's not that easy, Anakin," Obi-Wan said patiently.

"Are we going to do this?" Loki asked. He was beginning to notice that their conversations always seemed to stray away from the main point.

"Yes," Fury said. He wanted to be front and center in this meeting, considering he represented everything the Avengers stood for. In this case, he represented everything the _planet_ stood for.

"Right. I'll send a transmission through to the Council," Anakin said. "Are they in session right now, Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "They just started a meeting."

"Let's drop in, then." Anakin worked on the technical things. Finally, holograms of the entire Council appeared. That area of the room was filled with life-size chairs filled with beings of various types. The Avengers marveled at the group in shock and awe. Even Thor and Loki were surprised to see so many types of creatures in one place. Anakin stepped into the center of the circle. "Hello, Masters."

"Skywalker, state your business," a Fury look-alike said. When he spoke, everyone's eyes directed to him, then Fury, then back again.

"Nick, you didn't tell me you had a twin!" Tony said. "Or is it a clone?"

Natasha took it a bit more seriously. "Director, who is that?"

Fury was speechless for a moment, which was unusual for him. Finally, he cleared his throat and said, "We're about to find out. Just watch—I'm sure everything will be revealed in a moment."

In response to the question, Anakin raised an eyebrow. "Do I have to have business? Can't I just drop in to say hello?"

Everyone on the Council frowned. Well, those who _could_ frown, anyway. One in particular had a mask over his mouth and goggle-type things over his eyes, preventing him from making any sort of expression. Loki had never seen anything like it. He made a mental note of everyone on the Jedi Council in case he needed to identify them in the future.

"We are at war, Skywalker," a man with an extremely tall forehead said.

"Really? I thought you were in session," Tony said, strolling through Fury's clone to stand next to Anakin. Everyone regarded Tony with surprise. "What? Was I supposed to dress up for this meeting? Don't expect me to shave."

Obi-Wan positioned himself so that he looked like he was sitting in a seat on the Council. "We have much to explain," he said.

"Clearly," the alien with the mask said. He did not sound sarcastic or authoritatively-ticked-off. Just matter-of-fact.

"Let me start by introducing the Council," Anakin said. He told the Avengers their names one by one, the important ones being Ki-Adi Mundi, Plo Koon, Yoda, Mace Windu, Kit Fisto, and Saesee Tiin. He looked around at each of the figures. "I'm doing this because you have some people to meet here."

Tony grinned. "Introducing the Avengers. Yours Truly is Tony Stark, owner of Stark Industries and also known as Iron Man. I—"

"Skywalker, we don't have time to meet your new friends," Mace said irritably.

"Lighten up," Kit urged. "Everything Anakin does has a purpose. I'm sure he wouldn't waste our time if these people were not important."

"They are," Anakin assured them. "The war has threatened their planet."

"The war has threatened a lot of planets," Ki-Adi said exasperatedly. "We cannot go after everyone that has a problem with it. We only have so many troopers to spare."

"They saw Count Dooku himself," Obi-Wan said seriously. "He is invading their world. They are an undeveloped and uncharted planet called Earth. He speaks of a glorious battle there. I think that this group has a lead on his whereabouts. If we help them, we might be able to stop Dooku."

This got the Council's attention. Kit grinned, his eyes on Tony. "You were saying, Iron Man?"

Tony smiled. "Right. Get over here, Loki."

Loki walked carefully over to the center of the Council. He did not like the way these strangers were looking at him. "Hello," he said uncertainly, suddenly wondering if they were part of the universe that the Chitauri would have ruled had they been successful. _Stop thinking about them_, he scolded himself. _They have no way of hurting me here. Right…?_

"Loki here is the god of mischief. He knows all about invading the Earth and he was there when Dooku infiltrated my building to contact his army. I think he might be of use to you."

For the umpteenth time that day, Loki relayed what had happened the night Dooku had attacked. "He escaped, of course, but we know one thing for sure: he will be bringing his 'glorious battle' to us."

Mace leaned forward. "It looks like giving you aid might give us an advantage in the war. _If_ we can capture Dooku in the end. Very well, then. The Council would like to get a profile on each of the…Avengers…so we know who we are dealing with."

"Thor and I are from Asgard," Loki said, motioning for his brother to join. Thor strode up with Mjolnir in his right hand. "He is the god of thunder and a formidable opponent in battle. If the droids are as puny as Skywalker claims, then he should not have a problem knocking out a few hundred with his hammer."

Thor nodded. "And Loki might not be a hardcore warrior, but he can fight. Plus, he knows more about magic than anyone I have ever met."

"No one messes with the Odinbros," Tony said.

It was an innocent comment, but it made Loki wince. He didn't mean to have such a reaction, but it had indeed stung. Odin had always favored Thor, even before he imprisoned him and practically disowned him as a son and took away his rights. He was not Odin's son; he was Laufey's. He wanted to correct Stark, to say that he was not and never would be Odin's. But for once he, the Silvertongue, was speechless. His mouth had gone dry and something kept him from speaking.

While Loki stood there speechlessly, Tony described his suit of armor to them. "It's very durable and it served well in the last battle. I promise you won't be disappointed."

"So it is the three of you?" Mace asked.

"Nope. There are way more than that. Cap?"

Steve joined them as Thor walked out. Loki still stood, swaying a little. Thor turned worriedly, but decided not to make a point of pulling Loki away. As long as the Council did not have their focus on his brother, he would not make a scene. He did not want to embarrass Loki by making him the center of attention.

"Captain Steve Rodgers is a soldier here. He knows all about war strategies, so you could probably compare notes. We call him Captain America. He knows what he's talking about most of the time, so he's a great asset," Tony explained. Steve nodded politely and left, replaced by Natasha and Barton. "Agents Romanoff and Barton are assassins. They go by Black Widow and Hawkeye. Barton is a master with the bow and arrow. Romanoff is a ninja." Tony grinned. "Next?"

Fury took Banner's arm and tugged lightly. He knew that the doctor would not be keen on standing front and center. "I'd rather stay here," he said awkwardly.

"Not an option," Fury said.

Reluctantly, Banner walked over and stood by Tony's side. Fury held back, figuring he'd join later. Tony immediately started introducing him. "This man is two different guys entirely. Right now, he's Doctor Bruce Banner. If something sets him off, he is the Hulk." He pulled out a datapad and showed the council a video of the Hulk in action. Everyone watched silently. When it was over, their gazes fixed upon the flushing Banner.

"Is he safe?" Kit wondered aloud.

"Of course he is," Tony assured them.

"Be honest," Banner said. "I'm extremely unstable and unpredictable in that state. I can't entirely control the other guy."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Mace said. "Anyone else?"

"Yes," Nick Fury said, stepping forward. "There is."

* * *

**Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, all that stuff you already know. I don't own Star Wars or the Marvel Universe.**

**AN: So I've discovered, as you all have, that Fanfiction has adopted a new system of the reviewing system, where everyone without an account is referred to as **_**Guest**_**. Might I make a request to make up a penname for yourself and write it at the bottom of the review so I know who you are? That way, I can do my AU shoutouts to each reviewer without saying Guest #1 and Guest #2. That would be difficult for me and difficult for those who reviewed to distinguish which reviewer I'm referring to. For example, if I wrote a review, it would go something like this:**

"**Blah, blah, blah, words, words, words. Reviewed by Maralexa" or something like that. Just do it to make things easier on everyone. AaylaKit did this in her latest review. I'd like it if everyone did the same. Thanks in advance!**

**Anyway, did you like the chapter? It was a little longer than usual to make up for the length of time I was gone.**


	9. Alliances and Awkward Moments

**Here's another update! I definitely tried to make it quicker than the last one, but I also like to wait a day at least to make sure everyone has a chance to read and review. I know I definitely annoyed some people by cutting it off before Fury and Mace meet. 0:) Well, you shall wait no longer. Let's see what you think about a little twist in the events of the story. I totally had a breakthrough. I know where this story will go now. Drop me a review and let me know what you think!**

**JapanRules555: He will, I promise. I'm trying to develop this story as much as possible before the battle breaks out. The thing is, if I do the battle too soon, I won't know where to go next and I might have to end it prematurely. If I develop it a lot before the big moment, then I'll have more room for post-battle events. See where I'm going there? Next chapter will not disappoint, though.**

**demonic hellfire: As cool as that would be, this is an Avengers Crossover, so other Marvel Universe superheroes, while awesome, probably can't fit into the plot.**

**Irish-Brigid: Sorry about that. I was worried about doing that, but I also knew that it was necessary to develop the story. Now you can rest assured that everybody knows each other, so it'll go uphill I hope. That's up to the reviewers to decide.**

**Tiger of the Storm: I've had some reviewers rant before. It makes me happy every time to see people get into my writing. :D I was so worried that I wouldn't capture everyone's characteristics, so it's reviews like yours that reassure me that I'm getting it right. Ha, I've fangirled over Loki so many times! He's just _so awesome_ you know? *swoons***

**NARUTO SON OF ARTEMIS: That _would_ be a good idea. I'll store that in the "Good ideas for _Invasion_" section of my brain. Maybe after the battle is said and done, Padmé could come down to Earth and…yes. Thanks for the idea!**

**AaylaKit: I'm not a big fan of the Guest thing either. I understand, though. I did it because I know Fanfiction won't give my email away to anybody. I got Thor for my birthday. Seen it twice now. I totally cried both times I saw Loki let go! It changes your perspective of him, doesn't it? He's so villainous in the Avengers that you wouldn't expect this emotionally unstable guy in Thor. And yeah, that would be epic! I'll think about it. ;)**

**Ptroxsora: I like it to some extent. I don't like how people without an account have to go by Guest. It's harder for me to do shoutouts like I'm doing right here. Either way, I'm glad you like it!**

**Brutus Silentium: Glad you like it! That's how I've found a couple of my favorite fanfics. Just skimming, then thinking "Why not?" and giving it a try. Sorry it's so hurried. I'm trying to develop it as much as possible.**

* * *

There was awkward silence as Nick Fury stepped into the center of the circle. Each and every Jedi on the Council looked from Fury to Mace and back again several times. No one dared break the quiet stillness that filled the room. The Avengers, including Tony, understood the significance of the moment and decided to remain quiet. Loki was still standing in place, his expression blank and his mind racing with memories. Mace's gaze was hard, suspicious, and calculating. Fury stood calmly, awaiting comments. When none came, he spoke.

"I am Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers Initiative. If you wish to speak of an alliance, you must speak with me. Seeing as we have no ruler, I will speak on the planet's behalf. Having averted an attack before, I know what is best for Earth."

Kit gasped. "Wow, he actually sounds like you too, Mace." Though he didn't seem to pay attention to what Fury said, he actually absorbed every word of it.

"I see that," Mace said, eyeing Fury. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"I was about to ask the same thing," Fury commented.

"Any thoughts, Master Yoda?" Kit asked.

The ancient Jedi Master frowned pensively. "A strange turn of events, this is. A tremor in the Force, I sense. If find Dooku through them, we can, then help them we must."

Tony, who was still standing in the circle, chuckled. "You know I can't let that go without commenting, right?"

"Leave it, Stark," Fury said sharply. "If you sever any potential ties with them, we could lose our planet."

"Lose our planet over a simple comment?" Tony challenged.

"You'd be surprised by how easily offended some can get," Banner pointed out.

"Are you one of them?" Tony asked, facing the doctor.

"Fortunately for you…no, I'm not. If I was, then the other guy would be around much more often than I."

"Are we really deviating from the matter at hand again?" Loki asked, finally coming back to them. Only then did he realize that he was still in the middle of the meeting. He took a cautious step toward the nearest gap in the circle of chairs, but Tony took his arm, stopping him. "Let go of me, Stark," he said, feeling a rush of panic that was unlike him.

"We need you to be front and center, Loki," Tony said. "Calm down. You're shaking."

Loki wondered why he felt so tense. He wasn't entirely trustful anymore, especially of those that resided outside Asgard and Midgard. This group might know of the Chitauri, who were probably searching for him _right now_. Why was he so paranoid about them? It wasn't like they were going to show up at the front door and demand that he be handed over to them. He was safe as long as he was with the Avengers. "I am fine," he said through his teeth. "Please continue."

Fury eyed Loki a moment, then addressed the Council. "If you are not hostiles that will threaten our world, we would like your help."

"If we did help you, what would your status in the Clone War be?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Neutral," Fury responded. "We do not wish to harm either side, nor give aid to anyone. We would proclaim ourselves friendly to your Republic, though we will not help or hinder the war in any way. We are a peaceful planet that does not want to get involved in other-worldly affairs. We've got enough to deal with already."

"We can respect that," Ki-Adi said.

"If we were to vote, I would vote in their favor," Kit said. "To capture Dooku is to see a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to the war."

"I agree," Anakin said. "My vote belongs to them."

"Your vote doesn't count," Obi-Wan reminded him.

"Then vote _for_ me," Anakin said exasperatedly.

"Of course we should help them," Obi-Wan said.

The vote was almost unanimous. Everyone liked the idea of Dooku being captured. "Send aid, we will, as soon as possible," Yoda said.

"We cannot send troops over right away," Plo warned. "We cannot spare them at this time. But rest assured that you will have plenty coming your way."

Fury nodded. "Will any of you be joining us in battle?"

"Some of us will accompany the soldiers, yes," Mace said. "Masters Fisto and Koon will certainly come with us."

"Us?" Thor asked. The Council could hear his voice, but could not see him because he was not in the circle at the moment.

"Yes," Mace said. "I will be there."

* * *

After the meeting was over, everyone dispersed to do their own thing. It was getting late, so some of them were preparing to rest. The battle could happen at any time, so sleep was critical at the moment. A lot of them couldn't sleep, though, considering the impending threat that hung over their heads. Banner and Tony went to the lab to do as much studying as possible. Steve retreated to a room to sleep, though he knew that he probably wouldn't get much rest. The agents went to another part of the room and talked in low, serious voices. The three Jedi were hungry, so Fury led them to the kitchen where they would discuss important war matters and exchange information. The droid rolled into the lab to join Tony and Banner.

Thor and Loki sat on the couch. There was quite a bit of space between them and the tension in the air was thick enough to be sliced with a knife. Finally, the former turned to the latter and said in a low voice, "Brother?"

Loki did not turn his head. "What is it, Thor?"

"Are you all right?"

Loki sighed, a slight smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "I'm in a building with the very group that defeated me. I'm surrounded by enemies on all sides, there are countless people that want me dead, I am the son of Asgard's most hated enemy…" He let out a breath. "Yes, Thor, I am perfectly fine."

Thor edged a little closer, but a pained glare from Loki stopped him. "I wish you would open up to me, Loki," he said softly. "I know something is bothering you. Something deeper than being in a building with the Avengers."

"What, the fact that most of them hate me isn't enough?" Loki asked bitterly.

"There's more than that, isn't there?" Thor prompted.

Loki shrugged. "If there was, why should I tell you?"

"Because I'm on your side here."

_I know you are. That's the problem. I don't want you to be._ He somehow wanted Thor to hate him. Everything would be so much less complicated if they mutually hated each other. But the fact that his adoptive brother gave him chance after chance…The fact that he wanted Loki's redemption so much…It wasn't even about Thor. What worried him was something way bigger.

"You should sleep. You didn't exactly have a good rest last night."

"I was unconscious. I think I slept pretty well," Loki pointed out.

"You are stressed, though. Don't think I didn't miss the episode during the meeting."

Loki really wished Thor would forget about that. "I froze up is all," he said. "Nothing to worry about." He had to avoid sleep as much as possible. He was afraid of what would happen if he slept. _Sleep will make me vulnerable,_ he thought. He did not like being vulnerable. Not one bit.

"You're anxious about the war," Thor said understandingly.

Loki was deeply relieved that Thor had come to the wrong conclusion. "Yes, I am," he pretended to admit. "Very much so."

"I know it's strange, fighting an unknown force with the same people that you fought not too long ago," Thor said. "But you'll be fine, I promise. When the time comes, you'll be fighting as fiercely as the rest of us."

"What difference does it make? What will happen when the war is over?" he challenged.

Thor did not have an answer for this. He was pretty certain what would happen when all was said and done. If he and Loki were still alive, they'd return to Asgard. Both would be wounded. Thor would be taken to be treated, while Loki would be locked away again. Odin might be so furious that he would take his anger out on the younger of the two. Loki could be severely punished for leaving Asgard. "I do not know," he said. "I…I just…I'm not sure."

Loki had a sudden thought. "What if you die in battle, Thor? What then?"

Thor did not want to think about this. "I will not die, Loki, listen to me." He drew closer to his brother. Loki did not protest this time. "It will not happen. You are under my protection and you always will be." He put an arm around Loki's shoulders and pulled him close. "I care about you very much, brother. More than you may ever know."

"Speaking hypothetically, of course…what would happen if you _did_ die in battle?" Loki was afraid to hear the answer.

Thor paused thoughtfully. He knew that, without him, the Avengers would have no reason to protect Loki. Anything and anyone could harm him. "I'm not sure. Unless it happens, I wouldn't worry about it. Just rest." He hugged Loki closer. "No harm will come to you."

"That's a lie, Thor. This battle could take any one of our lives."

"I know. That's why you need to sleep now while you can. We all need our strength."

Loki closed his eyes a moment. Images of blood and terror flashed before his vision. He saw Thor a small distance away, bashing droids with Mjolnir. Captain America stood in front of civilians, using his shield to protect them from a large tank-like machine that fired relentlessly. The agents were back-to-back and Iron Man flew through the air, blasting the ships. The Hulk was there as well, smashing droids to bits. Loki wasn't sure which side was winning, but the Avengers were holding their own. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he felt himself being dragged away. He tried to scream his brother's name, but no sound came out.

Loki jumped, finding relief in Thor's sleeping form. The god of thunder still had his arm around Loki's shoulders, but the hold was limp as he slept. Loki gently took Thor's arm off and walked over to the window. The room was dark. Everyone was either asleep or in another room. All that could be seen were the lights of New York that shined on as if nothing was wrong. He had a funny feeling in his gut that he did not like. "The battle will be tomorrow," Loki murmured, "and I don't think we're ready."

* * *

"You are a fool to try to invade the Earth, human," a deep voice said, addressing Dooku. "My army is far greater than yours, yet we were defeated by the Avengers."

Dooku glared at the shadow defiantly. "Just because you failed does not mean that I will. My Master foresaw a glorious battle, and glorious it shall be! My grand army of droids will crush the so-called Avengers into the ground. My soldiers may not be great like yours claim to be, but at least I have the advantage of numbers."

"As did we," the figure said, "yet they still found a way to destroy us. Their weapons are superior to yours. You will lose."

"You do not know the power of the dark side," Dooku said menacingly.

"You do not know the power of combined forces."

Dooku's threatening glare turned to one of surprise and confusion. "What are you saying?"

"His army cannot defeat the planet alone. I am certain that yours cannot as well. There are two things that interest him, and I am certain that a combination of our armies would help him get what he wants."

"Is this why you invade my dream?" Dooku wondered. "You wish to make a bargain with me in exchange for my help? Who is 'he'?"

"He does not wish to reveal himself to you at this time. I, the Other, speak on his behalf. You are correct from a certain point of view. We do indeed want something from you because your army is of use to us."

Dooku eyed the Other warily. "What is it that you want? As leader of the Separatists, I could possibly supply you with almost anything you desire."

"He wants two things: vengeance and power." Dooku waited for him to continue. After a pause, the Other explained. "He is angry with the planet Earth for defeating him, but he is even angrier with the one who failed to bring him the power he desired. We seek the Tesseract. Perhaps you have heard of it."

"I have not."

"Good. It is best that you do not know of its power. He does not wish to compete with you over it. He hopes that you will help him obtain it. If you help us subjugate Earth, we will then be in a position to get it."

"How?" Dooku asked. "Where is it?"

"It was on a realm known as Asgard," the Other said. "Two Asgardians used it to transport to Earth. Do you recall the man that attacked you last night? Green eyes, slick black hair, slightly skinny…"

"Loki? That is his name, correct?" Dooku vaguely remembered the mention of the man's name before the droid hit the poor guy with a frying pan. He also recalled the Mace Windu look-alike talking about how he had tried to take over the world. "What about him?"

"He was the one that led our army to its doom," the Other explained. "We gave him an army in exchange for one thing: the Tesseract. We warned him that if he failed to bring it to us, he would be subjected to unimaginable punishment. He—"

"You were Loki's army?" Dooku cut in. "You were the ones that Fury mentioned to me?"

"Yes. It has been revealed to us that Loki Laufeyson has joined the Avengers. Also, they are seeking the aid of an unknown force. Perhaps you know them."

Dooku thought this over for a moment, then his eyes widened. "The _Jedi_ are in league with the Avengers?"

"It has been confirmed, yes. If we can attack them before the army arrives, we may have a chance. But you must swear to us that you will help us obtain what we seek: Loki and the Tesseract."

"How will we get the Tesseract?"

"If and when we are successful, we can obtain it from the Avengers themselves. If we could capture the Avengers and take the Tesseract for ourselves, then he will have both of the things that he wants. The Earth will then be yours. All you have to do is swear your alliance with the Chitauri."

Dooku gazed at the Other seriously. "I am a man of my word. I swear it."

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Marvel Universe nor do I own the Star Wars Universe.**

**AN: So what do you guys think? Cliffhanger, yay! I'm so evil. Well, everything's built up to the next chapter. What do you guys think will happen? I have this whole thing planned out now. I don't think the battle will be at all what you expect. ;)**


	10. The Battle

**I could hardly contain my excitement as I wrote this chapter! The last one made it so hard to stop writing even for a moment. I'll bet most of you are on the edge of your seats, so, without further ado, here it is! Just so you know, I'll update faster if I get a ton of reviews. I usually wait to see if anyone else wants to review, but if I get a whole lot, I update sooner. FYI.**

**JapanRules555: I know the series is called "The Clone Wars" but at the end of Episode II, Yoda said "Begun, the Clone War has." Also, the whole thing is referenced as a war, not multiple wars. So I think that viewers consider it the "Clone Wars" while the characters view it as one big war. Haha, sorry for rambling. I'm a debater, so I present my arguments very thoroughly. And thanks for the suggestion about flashbacks/visions. Also, I generally try to do 5-7 pages of a word document as a chapter. I've learned that long chapters drive people away. My approach is shorter chapters and frequent updates.**

**AaylaKit: Ew, I know what you mean. Have you seen how many freaking FrostIrons there are? I hate the constant Loki/Tony pairings. As far as the battle goes, you'll have to see. I have a big plan in store for the story, so all I can say is keep reading and you'll soon see my vision. I think I might make Padmé come in at some point near the end.**

**demonic hellfire: Yeah, I see where you're coming from. The Avengers I'm doing is the movie, though. Fanfiction is specific where I could do the comics or the movie. I chose the movie because I don't know enough about the comics. I love your idea and I'm sorry for not using it. Let it be known that I do consider everyone's ideas very carefully.**

**Tiger of the Storm: Trust me. No one will expect the outcome of the battle. Let's just say that the fic doesn't end with the battle. Not revealing anything else. ;) Glad you liked the Mace and Fury meeting. I try. *bows***

**Irish-Brigid: Yeah…Poor Loki. It's all part of the plan. More or less. Oh gawd I just quoted that silly little kid show.**

**Ptroxsora: You shall wait no longer! I hope the battle is everything you hoped for and more.**

**Pergjithshme: Actually, the Other is smarter than he may seem. Read this chapter and you'll see what I mean. Look for the part where Loki speculates what the Chitauri are planning. It is actually Dooku that is the foolish one here. Things aren't always what they seem in this story.**

**Raychaell Dionzeros: Thanks for reviewing! I was waiting for _one more review_ before posting my next chapter, so your review pretty much moved me to update. Thanks!**

* * *

Stark Tower was completely silent. Stark and Banner had fallen asleep in the lab, where they had been researching the diagrams of the droids that the Jedi had provided them. R2-D2 was powered down beside them. Steve had his head on the desk in his room. There were strategic drawings and notes littered all over the table, the floor, and even the trash can. He, like Stark and Banner, had not meant to fall asleep, but sheer exhaustion had taken over. Natasha and Barton were in another room, taking turns staying awake in case Loki tried something. At this point in time, it was Barton's turn to take the silent vigil while Natasha slept. They were suspicious that the god of mischief would cause…well…mischief. So they stayed alert and listened for anything out of the ordinary, though they did not actually leave the room. Thor was still asleep on the couch and Fury was coming and going frequently so that he could check on his S.H.I.E.L.D agents back at the headquarters. The Jedi were doing something similar to the agents in the sense that they were taking turns staying awake to make sure everything felt okay in the Force.

While all of this went on, Loki still stood by the window. He couldn't get over that awful feeling that the battle was coming very soon. _Get some sleep,_ a small voice in the back of his head whispered. He knew that he didn't look _threatening_ where he stood, but he certainly seemed suspicious. Standing by a window was very Loki-like, though everyone else might take his lack of sleep as a reflection of a deeper motive.

Sighing, Loki turned away from the window and started to make his way toward the couch where Thor was passed out. As he did, something compelled him to turn around one more time. Though he knew that he would see nothing there, he figured it wouldn't hurt to check. This time when he turned, however, he saw something that made his throat close up. There were starships in the air. _Gigantic_ starships. There were also things coming _out_ of the starships. Things that didn't look friendly.

Without another thought, Loki rushed to the couch. "Thor! Thor, get up!" Thor opened his electric blue eyes and gazed uncomprehendingly into Loki's intense green ones. "Thor, they're here," he whispered, trying to keep fear from creeping into his voice.

Thor sprang to his feet. "Help me alert the others!"

Without waiting for a further word from Thor, Loki took off toward the lab, figuring the god of thunder would handle the agents. Being the tactful person that he was, Loki was very careful not to burst in for fear of startling Banner and potentially awakening the other guy. Once he got to the lab, he stopped, took a breath, and stepped in. "Stark," he said urgently, shaking the sleeping form.

"Wha—?" Tony opened bleary eyes and stared at Loki. "Where'd you come from?" When he saw the alarm in the god's eyes, he cursed under his breath. "Hey, big guy! Banner, wake up!"

"Hmm? What time is it?" Banner asked wearily.

"Time to suit up," Tony said seriously.

This got Banner's attention. The doctor immediately activated the computers and pulled up some schematics. "We need to get a visual on the outside," he said quickly. "Check that—_I_ need to get a visual on the outside. Get in the suit, Tony. I'll join you guys outside later."

Tony and Loki ran out of the room side-by-side. When they reached the main area where the meeting with the Council was held, there was already a group waiting. Thor held Mjolnir, Hawkeye had his bow at the ready, the Black Widow had a hand on the gun in her belt, Captain America was fully dressed, shield and all, and the three Jedi were side-by-side in the garbs they use for combat. Even the droid seemed ready to go. The only person that was not present was Fury.

"How can this happen?" the Black Widow asked. "Our army hasn't arrived yet."

"If there's one thing we've been taught, Agent Romanoff, it's that we must always be prepared for the worst," Hawkeye said grimly. "If we have to stall the enemy until the clones arrive, we'll do so."

"I'll fight to the death if I have to," Thor said, flipping the hammer in his hand.

"Hopefully, that won't be an option for any of us," Captain America said quickly. "Stark—get in the suit. We've got to start a plan of attack."

"How many times do I have to tell you? My plan is always the same: attack," Stark said, turning to leave the room. "Don't be afraid to start without me. I'll be right there."

"I don't care what he says," Captain America said as Stark left. "We need a plan."

"It had better be fast, considering the enemy is already storming the city," Loki pointed out.

"Right. Iron Man will take the skies, while you two"—he pointed to the assassins—"need to attack as many soldiers on the ground as you can. I'll be there with you. Thor, see if you can get to a high building and use your hammer to your advantage. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka need to fight as they deem necessary, considering they've dealt with these guys before. Any ideas?" he asked the Jedi.

"I gave Stark and Banner some information on the enemy," Anakin said. "As long as we stay in contact, Obi-Wan, Banner, Stark, Ahsoka and I will keep you informed on the best strategies."

"Good. Let's go, team," Captain America said.

They rushed out of the building and were immediately faced with an army of battle droids and super battle droids. There were also massive tanks and ships flying in all directions. People were hysterically trying to get out of the street as buildings and bystanders were blasted mercilessly. _This shouldn't be a problem,_ Loki thought. The battle droids didn't look too threatening. Sure, they had guns. But they looked so vulnerable and flimsy that Thor could take out the entire battalion without much trouble.

"Spread out!" Captain America ordered. "We've got to keep them within this area if at all possible. I think the goal right now is to wipe us out, so stay alert and stay alive! Go!"

Thus, the battle began. Iron Man flew from the top of Stark Tower, blasting ships and dodging lasers. He had never imagined that he'd be doing this again. The ships were very different than the ones that the Chitauri had used, but still prone to blowing up. He found himself somewhat enjoying it as he soared around the city, shooting at droids and ships and tanks. Watching the battle droids explode was very satisfying to him. The suit of armor always served him well.

Captain America remained on the ground, surprising everyone with the strength and durability of his shield. It could withstand anything. Even Mjolnir could not penetrate it. He was pleased to see lasers bounce off of it and hit those that made attempts at his life. He felt the urge to be daring, so he leapt onto a tank and took out the droid navigating it. He then went inside and took care of the rest before controlling it himself. He had fun driving it around, blasting everything dangerous in its path, until he had to leap out seconds before another tank exploded it.

The Black Widow was a silent ninja. She rolled around to dodge lasers and retaliated with blasts of her own. The only problem was that the droids did not seem to respond too much to the bullets. She mostly had to take them out by hand, which was dangerous yet thrilling at the same time.

Hawkeye had her back the whole time, blasting exploding arrows into tanks and supers. He was already prepared, knowing that regular arrows would not penetrate the droids' protective coverings.

Thor, of course, had everything handled just fine. He knocked out droids as he had knocked out Jotuns. Once he had cleared out a significant chunk of the army, he flew into the sky and landed on a building, summoning lightning to do his bidding. A lot of the ships were taken down by it.

"Thanks, big guy," Iron Man said to Thor. "These guys were getting a little tricky."

"No problem, Man of Iron," Thor answered, smiling.

"How's everybody holding up?" Anakin asked. He was leaping through the air, slicing and dicing droid after droid. "Everyone okay?"

"I sense no casualties on our side," Obi-Wan responded, stabbing his lightsaber through a particularly feisty Super. He used the Force to lift several into the air, then smashed them to bits on the ground. "We're holding our own. The Avengers are doing better than I expected."

"We're not exactly new to this rodeo," Iron Man pointed out.

"I think we might stand a chance without the clones," Ahsoka said.

"Don't jinx it, Snips," Anakin said.

"Hey Banner, hurry and suit up already!" Iron Man called. "You're missing the fun!"

"I'll be there in a minute. I can't stay in contact with any of you, obviously, but you can't miss me. I'll be the big green monster with anger management issues." With that, Banner left the lab, leapt out the window, and felt his clothes rip as he transformed into the Hulk. He immediately got himself busy picking up tanks and smashing them together.

"And the Hulk has landed!" Iron Man announced, tackling a ship from behind. "Nervous, Loki?"

Loki, who was attacking the droids in the same manner he had fought the Frost Giants, shuddered. "I'm fine," he said stiffly. "Just keep him away from me, will you?"

"Will do, brother," Thor said, chuckling. "You're on our side now. He won't hurt you."

"Somehow I doubt that," Loki muttered.

"I hate to interrupt," Captain America interjected, "but what are _those_?" He was standing in the middle of the road, face-to-face with twenty droidekas. "They don't look too friendly."

Anakin joined him. "Destroyers! Master, they've brought in the droidekas." He turned to Captain America. "There's no easy way to deal with these guys. Leave them to me." He used the Force to send some of them flying. "You go that way. I'll take these out. Ahsoka, cover me!"

The Togruta apprentice joined him moments later and they fought the droids together.

Nearby, Hawkeye was faced with a new challenge. A gigantic thing that couldn't even be classified as a droid towered over him. It had four arms, each holding a lightsaber, and a sinister figure. "You will die," it said in a creepy voice. "You will all die!"

"Um, guys? We could use a little _help_ here," the Black Widow said nervously.

"_Grievous_ is here? Kriff," Anakin growled. "Who else is here, anyway? Dooku himself?"

"I'm sure he is," Obi-Wan said. "He's probably just out of range, watching this whole thing for himself."

"I'll handle the monster," Anakin said. "Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, help me out."

The three Jedi rushed over to where Hawkeye and the Black Widow were standing side-by-side, staring fearlessly up at the unfamiliar droid leader. He was toying with them and did not expect to see the Jedi. "So, it's the infamous trio," he snarled. "This planet is unable to defend itself without the help of you sniveling Jedi?"

"This ends now," Obi-Wan shouted. "Call off the attack, or die."

"I choose option three." He pulled out a comlink. "We are ready for you."

"We will join you shortly," a sinister voice said through the comlink.

"Wait—who's _we_?" Anakin demanded. "Don't tell me you brought _more_? How paranoid are you, anyway?" he jeered, trying to hide his anxiety.

"Count Dooku has made a deal that will turn this battle around," Grievous said, ignoring Anakin's taunt. "Perhaps you will be lucky enough to die quickly. I know that our captives will not have that luxury." Laughing, he sprang into the air and climbed up a building, heading straight for the Hulk. As soon as he saw the giant green creature, he abruptly changed direction. The Hulk pursued him all the way to the top of the building, where Grievous caught a ride from a new enemy that rode upon an airbike.

The Jedi and agents stood where they were, staring up at Grievous's new ride. "What's that thing on the airbike?" Anakin asked.

The Black Widow very slowly lifted her arm, where the means of communication was, and said, "Um, guys? We've got company."

"What is it?" Captain America asked.

"You look like you just saw a ghost!" Anakin said, shaking Hawkeye. "What's gotten into you? Who is that? What's going on?"

"A ghost would be better," the Black Widow responded stiffly. "The Chitauri are here."

* * *

Loki felt something drop in his stomach. He froze where he was and swayed ever so slightly. The Black Widow's words echoed in his mind, over and over. _The Chitauri are here. The Chitauri are here. The Chitauri are here…_

"Loki?" He could vaguely hear Thor's voice from the communicator. "Brother, are you all right? Speak!"

Loki could not speak. _If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can't find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain._ As these words played in his mind, Loki forgot momentarily that he was in the middle of a battle. He stood on a sidewalk, face-to-face with three battle droids, and he didn't realize it. He didn't even feel the pain when a droid blasted him in the leg. Only when his legs gave out underneath him did he remember where he was.

"Loki, you have to get out of here," Thor said.

"What's going on?" Anakin's voice demanded. "What is everyone's problem?"

"We should have warned you about them before," the Black Widow said apologetically. "We never would have thought that they would come here again…" There was a pause. "The Chitauri were Loki's army. They tried to take over the Earth." As quickly as possible, she explained what had happened in that very city not too long ago.

"So what's Loki's deal?" Anakin asked.

"The Chitauri threatened that they would do terrible things if he failed to bring him the Tesseract," Thor explained. "My brother will not disclose to me what those threats were, but he has warned me that they pose a very great threat. He told me that he is putting us all in danger by remaining here. I did not take him seriously."

"Well, you should have," Hawkeye said angrily. "We might all die just because they want revenge on Loki!"

"Let them take me, then," Loki said suddenly. "If they agree to call off the attack if I go with them, then you can all fight off the remains of the droid army."

"Loki, no!" Thor shouted.

"Don't do it," Obi-Wan said. "Before you do anything rash, consider that they probably made a deal with Dooku. They'll want—"

"The Tesseract!" Loki realized aloud. "Thor, we used it to transport here! They're probably after it. That has to be why they allied with Dooku. They'll capture us, seize the Tesseract, then use its power to turn on him."

"Are you sure?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes. I know the Chitauri well. They will double-cross Dooku, I'm sure of it. There is no way they will give him anything in return for his services. He is but a pawn to them, as I was."

"What do you propose we do, then?" Iron Man asked. "Ask them nicely to leave us alone? Tell Dooku that his alliance is a fake? That won't go over well."

"We've got to buy time until our army arrives," Anakin said determinedly. "Don't give me that look, Obi-Wan. I know you want to negotiate, but we're passed words. Nothing we say will change anything."

"I don't know how much longer we can hold them," Captain America said, his voice strained. "We'll all be dead if no one comes to our aid soon."

"Like I said; I'll fight to the death if I have to," Thor said. He sounded weary as well, though. The fire was beginning to fade from his voice. "We cannot let the enemy take Midgard, the Tesseract, or even Loki."

Loki knew that it was hard for the Avengers to fight tooth and nail for him. They would, however, fight for the freedom of Midgard and the universe. If the Chitauri took the Tesseract, then no one would be safe. While he feared for his life, he feared even more for those that would be affected by the power of the Chitauri if they were successful.

"We must keep fighting," Loki said determinedly. His injured leg forgotten, he launched back into battle.

The battle continued. Thor plowed through droids and Chitauri warriors with Mjolnir. Iron Man blasted soldier after soldier. Captain America and the Black Widow engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. Hawkeye used his arrows and the Hulk smashed things. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka fought on the ground while Anakin jumped into his ship and commenced aerial attacks. Loki used every ounce of magic he could muster to take down as many as possible. His energy was running low, but he still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

Hours passed. There were no casualties on the Avengers' side, but there were many injuries. The Black Widow had the most damage, considering she didn't have much in the way of attack or defense mechanisms. Iron Man had taken many blows to the suit and its energy levels were decreasing. Hawkeye, Captain America, and Loki were battered and tired. The only two Avengers that were still going strong were Thor and the Hulk. There was fear that the Hulk would transform soon, though. He obviously couldn't stay that way forever and it was a surprise that he hadn't turned back into his human form already. Thor, of course, was made for battles like this. The energy of Mjolnir flowed through his veins, helping him take down warriors and droids alike.

"They're still coming," the Black Widow announced, her voice filled with agony.

"Natasha, you've got to get somewhere safe," Hawkeye said urgently. "You're going to die if you strain yourself any more than you already have."

"I can't stop fighting, Clint," she whispered.

"Status report?" Captain America queried.

"Everyone's exhausted and the enemies haven't stopped flowing in," Anakin reported. "I'm seeing tons more on the way. Every time we take a bunch out, more take their place. I think this might be a fight to the death, as Thor said, unless Master Windu arrives _now_."

Loki opened his mouth to say something, anything, but was suddenly yanked backward by the arms. He turned his head, wide green eyes taking in a Chitauri soldier that had pinned his arms behind his back. "Th—" he began, trying to get the god of thunder's name out. He found that he could not speak. He swallowed, took a deep breath, and screamed, "Brother! Help me!"

Thor, who was at the foot of a nearby building, whipped around, shocked at hearing those words come out of Loki's mouth. He scanned the general area where the sound had come from, but he could see nothing through the mass of soldiers blocking his path. He launched himself into the air, using Mjolnir to lift him up so that he could get a better view. As Thor did this, though, the warrior pulled Loki into an alley, out of sight.

"Brother, where are you?" Thor asked, sounding puzzled.

Loki opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, the soldier landed a blow on his head, knocking him out cold. The battle continued, but not for long.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**AN: Well? What did you think of the battle? I'm sure a lot of you are throwing your computers against the wall right about now. I sincerely apologize for the cliffhanger. XD Here, have a virtual cookie. *gives cookie* Anyway, don't think for one second that this is the end. There is much more to come, I promise. Just keep reading and keep badgering me about updating. I'll do so once I have enough feedback and once this chapter settles in for a bit.**


	11. Choosing Sides

**You know you love me! You know you want to forget my dastardly deed in which I left you guys hanging after an epic battle!**

**JapanRules555: Wow, you…notice a lot of details there. If I'm correct, though, I think that Anakin meets General Grievous several times in the Clone Wars series, which yes, I have watched. Most of it, anyway. I'm still catching up. And no, I'm going to have a Marvel Movie Night with my roommate, so I haven't watched Iron Man 2 yet.**

**Irish-Brigid: I know right! I think the invasions might be a _bit_ of a push factor for New-Yorkers…**

**Guest: You shall wait no longer! Here it is!**

**Pergjithshme: Why? Because some things are, some things are not, and some things should never be. XD Sorry, inside joke amongst my sibs and me. Anywho, because I am the nice person that I am, I updated as soon as I possibly could, considering the state I left our heroes in in the last chapter.**

**Raychaelle Dionzeros: Glad you like it!**

**Guest2: Yeah, I gotcha. I've heard that a lot from my teachers. I guess I'm usually a little shaky at the beginning and kind of get into the flow of things as I continue on.**

**Tiger of the Storm: I alternate between my laptop and iPod usually. Haha yeah, Grievous. One of those things you love to hate. Don't shoot! Here's the update! *throws hands up***

**AaylaKit: I was waiting for your review. :) I LOVE that deleted scene, but I hate that people had to ruin it by shipping Loki and Thor. Don't worry, you'll see Loki's fate soon, and…No, I won't ruin it for you. You'll have to read for yourself. And YES I'm so happy that the Guest thing is gone! I guess too many people complained about it and Fanfiction finally decided that it was a silly idea. Tell Ayy to review _Invasion_! Each review compels me to update faster, as I said before.**

* * *

Loki opened his eyes, but he could hardly see. Everything hurt. He ached all over and hadn't the slightest clue where he was or how he got there. It took a moment for memory to return to his mind. There was a battle. The Avengers were involved. Someone had taken him against his will, and…he had resorted to calling Thor _brother_.

_The battle!_ Loki tried to jump to his feet, but something held him down. _Stop and think,_ he told himself. Before springing into anything, he had to get an idea of the situation at hand. Jumping without thinking was a very Thor-like trait. Shifting around a bit, Loki managed to get into a sitting position. He soon realized that his hands were cuffed behind his back. _Am I alone?_ He looked around, his gaze taking in a small cell that seemed to be made of an energy shield of sorts. Judging by the power he felt coming off of it, he would probably fry if he touched it. It was probably wisest to stay where he was for the time being. He bowed his head and stared at the ground, unsure of what else to do.

"Brother?" Thor's familiar voice asked faintly.

Loki's head whipped up and his gaze scanned the area. The hope that filled his chest was replaced by dread. What was Thor doing here? He should be far away, defending the city or protecting himself at the very least. In fact, he should have used the Tesseract to return to Asgard so that it would be safe from the grasp of the Chitauri. Why didn't he think of that? "Thor." His throat was sore and he could hardly get the words out. "You were foolish to let yourself get caught. You should have taken the Tesseract home."

"I know, but…" Loki could hear Thor sigh. He finally found the god of thunder, slumped inside another force field similar to his own. His blond hair was matted with blood and dirt and his whole figure radiated exhaustion and defeat. "I didn't want to leave my brother behind," he admitted.

"You were always too soft since your first return from Midgard," Loki scowled, despite his tired state. "You would have been wiser to go back. The whole universe will be doomed once the Chitauri seize the Tesseract."

"They don't have it yet, I don't think," Thor said.

"What happened after I was taken?" Loki prompted. "Do you remember?"

Thor shuddered. "I do, very clearly," he replied. "To put it simply, the armies were too much for us. Stark was blasted to the ground. We were surprised that he did not die from the ordeal."

"I'm _fine_," Tony's voice said, interrupting them.

"Wait—how many were captured?" Loki demanded, focusing on scanning the room. His bleary vision was finally starting to clear up.

"All of us," Steve said wearily.

Loki took in the scene before him. Everyone was there. Banner was dressed in strange clothing that Loki did not recognize as Midgardian. Perhaps Dooku or the Other had clothed him in whatever they could find. Tony was still in his suit, though several parts were missing, as if they had been torn off of him. Barton and Natasha had sustained severe injuries, but they still managed to glare daggers at Loki, as if this whole thing was his fault. Steve was dressed as Captain America, though he did not have the mask over his head. His face was covered in dirt and his hair was extremely messy. Looking at the Avengers, Loki wondered how disheveled he looked by comparison.

"We should never have let him join us," Barton said angrily. Everyone knew who he was referring to. "The Chitauri wanted revenge on _him_, and they got it. By taking all of us and storming New York."

"They never would have tried it if Dooku wasn't there," Steve pointed out.

"Yes, but they never would have allied with Dooku if it wasn't for Loki!" Natasha argued.

Loki was growing tired of those two. Though their hatred was a trivial matter to him, it was still annoying nevertheless. "Can we please get back to the matter at hand? Where are the Jedi?"

No one seemed to know. "We were all knocked out before we woke up here," Tony said. "They might be in a separate room."

"I wonder where we are," Natasha said, finally taking her focus off of Loki.

"You are on my ship," Dooku said, stepping into the room. "Meet the Other. I'm sure Loki here is very well acquainted with him."

The Other stood by Dooku's side and faced Loki as if he was the only one in the room. "You were warned," he said in a sinister voice.

"Remember what we talked about," Dooku said patiently. "We came to talk rationally, not inflict injuries. There may be a time for vengeance later. Right now, Loki might be of use to us in this state."

"What do you mean?" Loki asked warily.

"You are an Avenger, correct?" Dooku asked when the Other said nothing.

Loki glanced at the assassins. "I would call myself an ally, yes," he responded carefully.

"You also used the Tesseract to travel here, am I right?" the Sith Lord continued.

"I'm sure you are smart enough to answer that yourself," Loki said, his eyes narrowed. "Might I ask where this conversation is going?"

Dooku and the Other exchanged glances. Finally, the Other said, "You were given the task of delivering the Tesseract to the Chitauri in exchange for an army of our warriors. You were warned," he repeated, "that if you failed, you would be tracked down and subjected to severe, unimaginable punishment."

"Tell me something I don't know," Loki said evenly, his gaze unflinchingly fixed upon his two enemies.

"All right," Dooku said. "Here is our proposition. You promised the Tesseract. We are willing to give you the chance to redeem yourself and fulfill the task you were given." He paused to allow this to sink in. "Yes, Loki. We are asking you to take us to the location and hand it to us personally so we do not have to undergo a search ourselves. If you do this, you will be granted amnesty by the Chitauri and you will be free to go."

Loki's eyes widened as he considered this. The fear that had haunted him since the day he had failed could be eliminated _right now_ if he agreed. The cruel punishment would never take place. Loki was smart enough to know that they would get the Tesseract whether he helped them or not. It was only a matter of _when_ they would get it.

Loki's pause was long enough to unnerve the Avengers. "Loki, no!" Thor begged, leaning forward and gazing intently into his brother's contemplating green gaze. Though they were several feet apart, Loki could see that every muscle in the blond god's body was tensed up. "Brother, please. Don't do it."

Loki's gaze hardened. "I'm not your brother," he said. "I never was, nor will I ever be. You must realize that they have won. Whether I offer my help or not will determine my fate, not the fate of the universe." He turned to face the two, who were gazing at him expectantly. "I will help you."

* * *

Loki was placed under medical care so that he could heal to a point where he could travel. He knew exactly where the Tesseract was, so this task would be simple.

It was difficult to get the image of his brother—no, _Thor_—out of his mind. His electric blue eyes were filled with pain and betrayal. The other Avengers weren't pretty to look at either. The agents were furious, of course. Their expressions had _I told you so!_ written all over them. Banner seemed ashamed that his deciding vote had ended like this and Stark was downright shocked. Steve just shook his head, extremely upset but too strong to show the extent of his disappointment.

Loki knew he had made the right decision. The Avengers didn't understand what it felt like to fear imminent doom. They just couldn't grasp his logic. He didn't expect them to agree with him, of course. He just wished he had been smart enough to look away when making the decision so that it would be easier to betray the ones that had forgiven him.

He closed his eyes and rested for a little while longer. He could feel himself healing at an accelerated rate and knew that he would be on his way soon. It was not long before he could stand and walk around, ready to take the Other to the Tesseract.

Two distinct voices spoke from outside the door. Curious, Loki focused on hearing what they were saying.

"Remember our agreement," Dooku said. "Once you get the Tesseract, Earth will belong to the Confederacy of Independent Systems."

"Of course," the Other said. "I would never go back on my word."

"Let's see if Loki is ready to lead us, then." Dooku opened the door and walked in, his expression pleasant. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," Loki responded.

"Good. You will find that I am a much more agreeable man when you cooperate with me," Dooku said. "Without further ado, take us to the location, if you would."

"Gladly. Take us to Stark Tower and I will lead you to it."

* * *

Once they arrived, Loki led them to a secret area. "It is here," he told them. He opened the door and used his magic to unlock a chest. There, lo and behold, was the Tesseract.

"You were wise to bring us to it," the Other said, "yet foolish."

"No," Loki said. "_You_ are the foolish one." In one swift motion, he grabbed the Tesseract, which was still encased in the same device that he and Thor had used to transport between Asgard and Midgard. He closed his eyes and willed it to do his bidding. He felt the power of the cube encase him and the last things he saw were two very bewildered and angry expressions.

* * *

"Loki Laufeyson." The deep voice of Heimdall the Gatekeeper was the first thing Loki heard when he appeared at his destination: Asgard.

"Heimdall," he said breathlessly. "I have the Tesseract. I—"

"I see that," the Gatekeeper said, his eyes flickering from the device in Loki's hand to the god's green gaze.

"You must have seen what happened! The battle—the Avengers—the Chitauri—they want this so they can take over the universe! You must place it under Asgardian protection. I know the All-Father would want—"

"The All-Father is right behind you," Odin's voice said.

Loki turned around. His initial shock quickly melted into pleas. "You must protect this at all costs. And, if you can, send help to Midgard. Their planet has been overtaken. Surely Heimdall has revealed this to you."

"He has kept me updated, yes," Odin said, his expression impossible to read. "For your first request, it is my duty as King to keep this under protection." He promptly took it from Loki. "It must be secured from criminals like yourself. As for your second request, I fear that I cannot do anything at this point in time." When Loki opened his mouth to argue, Odin silenced him with a glare. "We have no means of transporting an army to Midgard. Though I would give my own life to save Thor's, there is no way to get there without using the Tesseract, which must be kept as far away from that realm as possible."

"I…understand," Loki said, bowing his head. "What is to become of the Avengers, then?"

"Why? Do you actually _care_ for them, Loki?" Odin asked skeptically. Before Loki could reply, he said brusquely, "Heimdall will keep an eye on them. We will know their fates as things progress. You will have plenty of time to contemplate this once you are returned to your rightful place."

"Surely you don't mean…?"

"Yes, I do." He turned to two guards that were posted behind him. "Take him away."

They each placed their fists over their hearts. "Right away, my King," one said, grabbing Loki's arm.

Loki turned hurt eyes on his adoptive father. "Don't you have other things to worry about?" he asked, pained. "Surely you don't intend to imprison me again?"

"I never intended for your imprisonment to end," Odin said. "You have already been stripped of your rights as an Asgardian and you are no longer any son of mine, regardless of what Thor says. You did the right thing, bringing the Tesseract to me. However, I do not trust you enough to grant you amnesty. There is nothing you can do or say that will change what you have done in the past. I'm sorry, Loki, but the decision has been made for the good of my realm."

Loki opened his mouth to protest, then thought better of it. "Very well, then," he said submissively. "I see there is no changing your mind, so I will go without a struggle."

Odin nodded. "Take him back to the cell," he ordered.

"Right away, All-Father," a guard said, dragging Loki along.

* * *

As they walked, Loki thought about the Chitauri and what the Other must be thinking. It saddened him to know that the Avengers were probably cursing his name at the moment. He didn't blame them, but he had to make it convincing. He was certain at the time that saying those things to Thor would initiate a reaction that would satisfy Dooku and the Other. He never imagined that it would hurt him to see the god of thunder so anguished.

"So, the prodigal son has returned," a stiff female voice said.

"Hello, Lady Sif," Loki said wearily.

"What have you done with Thor?" she demanded. "Where is he?"

"He's on Midgard."

There was a pause. "Care to contemplate?" Sif asked drily when Loki said nothing more.

Loki found himself spilling everything that happened from the moment Thor took him from his cell to the encounter with Odin and Heimdall minutes earlier. "And _that_ is where Thor is," he finished.

Sif narrowed her eyes. "I don't trust you. I don't believe for one second that you joined with the Avengers. I think you're making it all up to make me feel sorry for you. You deserved to lose your rights and you deserve to be locked up for the rest of your life."

Loki shrugged. "I didn't ask you to believe me or even sympathize. You asked me where Thor was, and I told you. If you do not believe me, then ask Heimdall. When his details match mine exactly, you might want to reconsider what you said."

Sif mulled this over, then nodded. "Very well. I'll take you up on that. If you're lying…"

"Why would I lie at this point? What do I have to gain?"

"You lie for the fun of it, and you know it." She turned to the guards. "What is to become of him?"

They shrugged. "He will resume his punishment," one said, "in silence."

Loki knew what that meant. The muzzle. Wasn't it on Midgard? They'd probably make a new one easily with magic or something. On Asgard, anything is possible.

Sif frowned deeply. "Move along, then." She gave no indication that she intended to see Loki again, though he felt the satisfaction of seeing her head in Heimdall's direction.

When they arrived at the cell, the guards fastened a new muzzle to Loki and tossed him unceremoniously inside. He stood up, silenced once more, and thought sadly of Thor and the rest of the Avengers. He sincerely hoped that the clone army would arrive in time to save them.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything mentioned in the chapter or the rest of the fic.**

**AN: Well, what do you think? I'll bet I worried some of you with Loki's "betrayal." I like this chapter a lot because it focuses on Loki himself. I swear I was caught in my own little world and felt a strange sensation when the chapter was over. Like, I was thrust out it or something. I honestly started this chapter without a clue as to where the story would go, but then…it just **_**came**_** to me! Reviews are appreciated and make me update faster, so take a few moments to give me feedback.**


	12. Everything Has A Purpose

**You know Dooku and that Chitauri dude? They just got _Loki'd_. BIG TIME. I was amazed at how much feedback I got within three hours of posting. It made me so happy that I began writing the next chapter right away!**

**Ptroxsora: Haha yeah, gotta love Grievous and his cowardice. XD Have you read Chapter 11 yet? Your review said it was on Chapter 10, so I figured you hadn't gotten to the next one.**

**FutureOscarWinner94: Thanks! Don't worry—those questions will be answered in time.**

**Pergjithshme: Don't kill me! *throws hands up* Yes, Loki is the important one. Loki will _always_ be the important one. You'll see his fate soon and I hope I'll make you happy! :D**

**laureas: Your reaction was pretty much what I was hoping for and your review made me laugh. Mischief and trickery are Loki's specialties and, as always, he has surprised all of us! Just remember that, as Frigga said once, there is always a purpose to everything Odin does. Keep that in mind. ;)**

**Naruto Son of Artemis: That's a cool idea, but I'm already pretty certain as to where I'm going to go with the story. I'm not entirely sure how everyone would respond to another character introduction. I love Boba Fett, but I can't see how to incorporate him into the story either. Thanks for the review, though, and the suggestions!**

**Tiger of the Storm: I'm glad I got some good reactions out of Loki's trick. His epicnicity showed itself in that chapter, I'd say. I know I usually update every other day, but I just _had_ to get that chapter up, even if it was the day after the previous update. :D**

**Irish-Brigid: I was thinking the same thing as I wrote it. Loki's unpredictability makes him that much more awesome.**

**AaylaKit: Loki has revealed where his loyalties lie. I loved the moment where he was like, "No. _You_ are the foolish one." It made the fangirl in me squeal. And Sif, as you probably know, has never liked Loki much. I'm afraid to see the slash fics for myself, so I'll just take your word for it and prevent myself from being scarred. You should feel awesome, because you've read and reviewed since the beginning of _Pwning and Gaming_, which feels so long ago now! I never want to post a chapter until I've gotten your feedback because you and your sister are epic. I think you've done Nornheim already.**

**Kore-Proserpina: Don't worry, I covered both of those things in this chapter: Odin _and_ the Avengers. I had a plan in store for Odin and you'll see it soon. Just let it be known that the All-Father isn't as cruel and "stone cold" as he seemed in the last chapter… ;)**

**Raychaelle Dionzeros: I LOVE REX! I didn't even think about that, but sure! I'll add him. Thanks for reminding me.**

* * *

"I knew he would double-cross us," Barton said angrily. "You can't trust him as far as you can throw him."

"That's debatable, considering the other guy could probably throw him pretty far," Banner said in a half-hearted attempt to lighten the mood.

"Thor, what are you thinking?" Natasha asked, her voice uncharacteristically soft. "You haven't spoken since they released Loki.

"What is there to say?" Thor asked miserably. "You were right the whole time. I never should have _fought_ for him. I never should have believed in his redemption!" He turned his face away from the rest of the Avengers so they would not see the tear that had formed in his eye. "I thought he had changed. I was gravely mistaken, and I apologize for letting him cloud my judgment."

Tony turned from Natasha to Barton and back again. "Please don't rub it in," he requested. "You can see what this whole ordeal has done to Thor." When Barton opened his mouth, Tony glanced sharply at him. "Just leave it alone."

There was a long pause. Everyone was utterly exhausted, yet too tense to rest. Loki's betrayal had sucked out any hope they had left. They all wondered what was happening outside the ship. Was the universe already falling to pieces? Was Loki standing side-by-side with the Other, watching realms submit to Chitauri rule? Was Dooku being betrayed right this second?

"Well, this is boring," Tony said. "Who's up for Truth or Dare? Anyone?"

"Truth or what?" Steve sounded confused.

"It's kind of hard to do any dares when you are almost immobile," Banner pointed out.

Steve was slightly frustrated that he didn't get Stark's reference. "Care to explain?"

"Never mind, Cap," Tony said. "Doc's right. There's no way I can dare any of you to do anything embarrassing when we're stuck in energy shields. Maybe we could go around the circle and make random confessions to pass the time until our torture sessions and possible deaths."

"I'm kind of not in the mood for light-hearted conversation," Natasha said unhappily. "While I know you mean well, those distractions you speak of won't change anything, nor will they solve any of our problems."

"We might as well face it," Banner said. "You are all doomed to die and I am doomed to live."

Everyone faced him, suddenly remembering that the Hulk could not die. "Think you could get us out of here, big guy?" Tony asked.

Banner shook his head. "I'm sure not even the other guy could penetrate these shields. If I transformed now, it would probably be a very painful experience, considering this thing is just big enough to hold my human form."

"Let's make sure you keep your blood pressure down, then," Tony said quickly. None of them wanted to see the Hulk fry.

"Right," Steve said. "We need to form a plan. Anything to get our minds off the situation. The first thing we need to do is memorize the exits and scan the room for any means of escape. If they slip up, we need to be on our toes."

Everyone nodded except Thor, who was still staring fixedly at the ground.

The door slid open, startling the captives. They all looked over to see Dooku stride in, agitated. The Other was not with him this time. "Whose idea was this?" he demanded, his voice tight with anger.

"It certainly wasn't mine. Obviously we didn't think up the whole 'captive' thing before we went to battle. We kind of expected to win," Tony said.

"Not _that_! Don't play stupid with me!" Dooku started pacing, careful not to touch the shields. "Do you honestly have no idea what happened?" The Avengers, minus Thor, looked at him sarcastically. Dooku facepalmed. "Just because you're encased in ray shields doesn't mean you can't plot amongst yourselves. I should have kept you in separate rooms. Why did I think for one second that I would get pleasure in watching you share each other's misery? As soon as this mess is cleaned up, you're all getting separated."

"Slow down, man," Tony said. "Do you want to tell us what the 'mess' is?" He grinned slightly. "Did your little friend betray you yet?"

"What?" Dooku turned to face him. "What do you mean? What do you know?"

Tony shrugged. "Loki, while a double-crossing traitor, pretty much nailed the Other's plan. They take the Tesseract, and—"

"They don't _have_ the Tesseract!" Dooku said, raising his voice. "I thought you knew that!"

"Do not waste your time with them," the Other said from the doorway. "We need to track down Loki. When I get my hands on him—"

"What?" Thor's head shot up. "What happened?"

"Your brother took the Tesseract to who-knows-where and you're all going to pay dearly for it," Dooku answered.

"He transported?" Steve asked, not quite comprehending.

"You don't know, do you?" Dooku was surprised. "This was all Loki's doing, wasn't it?"

"He _is_ the god of mischief and tricks and lies and all that," Tony pointed out. "We weren't in on this plot. Check the security cameras. We kind of had a whole conversation about Loki's betrayal."

Dooku, baffled, turned and walked out.

Thor's eyes were alight with hope. "My brother has not betrayed us!" he exclaimed loudly. "The Tesseract is safe, I'm sure of it." He suspected where Loki had taken it, though he was afraid to say it aloud for fear of tipping Dooku and the Other off. "Loki is smart. I know that he has placed it in good hands."

The Avengers nodded. They knew exactly what he meant.

"I hope he's okay," Thor said distantly.

* * *

Loki stood silently, unsure of how much time had passed. The guards were as silent as he was and the cell was incredibly boring after the thrill of the battle. He had done what he had to, but he couldn't help but wish that he had some company. He wasn't asking for Asgard to call him a hero, but he had at least wanted to be quasi-accepted again. He had never been particularly popular before he had fallen from the Bifrost due to his tendency to lie and play tricks on others, but he had at least been respected as a prince of Asgard. His mother—no, _Thor's_ mother—had loved him dearly, and now…

"Loki?" the Queen's voice whispered, as if on cue.

Loki turned to face her, surprised. He had not expected a visitor, let alone his adoptive mother. _What are you doing here?_ The question was in his eyes, though he could not voice it due to the restraint over his mouth.

She tried to keep the soft, motherly look from her face, but it was difficult. "You have done well," she said, her voice strong with approval. Loki shrugged, his expression telling her that it was not important. "When did you become so noble?" she wondered aloud. "The trick you played on Midgard's enemies was very characteristic of you, but the way you handled the All-Father and Lady Sif…" She trailed off, unsure of what to say next.

_It is irrelevant,_ Loki thought. _Thor is still in the enemy's hands. Your focus should be on him._

Frigga turned to the guards. "Leave us," she ordered.

The guards were becoming accustomed to Loki's family ordering them out of the room, so they did not object when the Queen sent them out.

"Now we can talk properly." Without turning around, she said, "I know you're standing there. Come in, Sif."

Sif walked in, her usual confident air replaced by uncertainty. "Loki," she greeted, placing her fist over her heart. Loki's eyebrows rose. "I spoke with Heimdall, and it was as you said." She paused, steeling herself for what she was going to say next. "I need your help." Loki nodded for her to continue. "I'm going after Thor."

_So you intend to save Midgard by yourself?_ Loki shook his head. _You are setting yourself up for failure._ How could she even get there, anyway, without the Tesseract? Unless…

Sif seemed to see the wheels turn in Loki's mind. "Yes, Loki," she said. "I'm using the Tesseract to transport to Midgard. I know I'm strong enough to fight, but I need your cunning to get us where we need to go. I may live to regret this, but…I'm taking you with me."

_Somehow I doubt that the All-Father has approved of this,_ Loki thought, glancing at Frigga. The Queen opened his cell and took several steps toward him. He did not rush toward her, nor did he back away. He just stayed where he was. _What are you doing?_

She continued toward him until her face was inches from his. "Regardless of what Odin says, you are my son, Loki." She placed her hands on his arms. He did not flinch. "After everything you did to redeem yourself, I know that you will do the right thing." In one swift motion, she detached the muzzle from his mouth. "I trust that you will bring Thor home safely."

"I will do more than that," he promised her. "I am going to save Midgard."

"How will you do that?" Sif asked, confused.

"Just trust me. We're going to make a little stop before we go to Midgard to save Thor."

Sif nodded, knowing that Loki's plans usually worked. The last one certainly had. "The first trick will be getting the Tesseract."

"Not a problem," Frigga said, pulling it from her robe. It was still in the device that was used as a transportation medium. She placed it into Loki's hand. "I had a feeling that this would be needed soon. I never imagined that you would be the one to use it, but I know that you will do great things with it."

Loki nodded gratefully and motioned for Sif to grab the other side. He looked into the Queen's eyes, taking a moment to consider her his mother once again in case this was the last time he would see her face. He then closed his eyes and focused on where he wanted to go. In a flash of light, they disappeared.

Frigga stared at the spot that her adopted son had been only moments ago. A tear came to her eye, but she wiped it away. She would not cry. If this was the last time she would ever see Loki, then so be it. If he died on this mission, she knew it would be for the good of the realms. He would not want her to cry. "Farewell," she whispered. "Bring Thor home safely."

"He will," Odin's voice said from behind her. She felt his hand on her shoulder. "Loki has a new sense of determination that I have never seen in him before."

She turned her head to look into his eyes. "You knew."

He nodded. "Of course I did. Everything I say and do has a purpose. You must know that by now."

She turned around completely and embraced him. "I only hope that he does not fail."

"As do I," Odin murmured. "As do I."

* * *

"Where are we, exactly?" Sif asked, letting go of the Tesseract.

"I'm not sure," Loki admitted.

"What? I thought you had a plan!"

"I do. Said plan doesn't exactly involve a location that I am entirely familiar with." He looked around. This realm was not at all what he had expected. There were strange ships whooshing by in all directions. The entire place had the look of an advanced city, though it was not nearly as majestic as Asgard. "Let's try this again." He eyed a specific building and focused on transporting there. Sif grabbed onto the Tesseract just in time to disappear with Loki.

This time, they appeared in the center of a room. Loki knew that they had hit the right spot, because he had that familiar feeling that he was being watched not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. The beings that sat around him seemed to see right through him in a way that was unsettling.

Sif seemed to share this feeling of discomfort. "Um, Loki? Would you care to explain what's going on here?"

Loki did not reply. His gaze was fixed on Nick Fury's look-alike. "Where is the army you promised?" he asked. "The enemy stormed Midgard and won. The Avengers—_and_ your Jedi warriors—have been captured."

"Wait—how are _you_ here, then?" Kit asked.

"I escaped," Loki explained. He quickly recapped what had happened from the meeting to now. "The Chitauri are after the Tesseract." He held it up. "I am certain that, if they get it, they will overthrow Dooku and take over the entire universe. That includes your world."

"You need to keep it safe, then," Mace said.

"That was my intention, yes," Loki said. "But I cannot stand by in a prison cell while the innocents of Midgard are subjugated by sinister forces. You promised an army, so I stand here before you to ask that you fulfill your promise now."

The Jedi Council contemplated this a moment. "We _did_ promise them an army," Kit pointed out.

Mace nodded. "We will gather some clones together now," he said decisively. "This meeting is now adjourned. There is much work to be done." He stood up and motioned for Kit and Plo to join him. "Follow us, Loki," he said.

Sif stared at Loki uncertainly, but he simply nodded for her to trust him. "I hope you know what you're doing," she muttered.

* * *

It took a while for the three Jedi to assemble the clones, but not as long as Loki had expected. They were soon boarded in transports, prepared for the journey to Midgard. Plo, Mace, and Kit got into ships of their own.

"We will meet you there," Kit promised. "Stall for as long as you can."

"Will do," Loki said, placing a fist on his heart and bowing. He turned to Sif. "Are you ready?"

She nodded and grabbed ahold of the Tesseract. Loki focused on where they would go next. He knew this was dangerous but, as long as he and Sif had the Tesseract, they could transport away at any time. The enemies would not get the cube as long as they were alive. He sincerely hoped that Sif, with as much common sense as she had, would be able to stay alive and keep the Tesseract safe. They looked into each other's eyes, finally sharing a mutual understanding, and held that gaze until the flash of light took them away.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do now own the awesomeness that is the Avengers and Star Wars.**

**AN: More Loki epicnicity! That chapter was so enjoyable to write and I got majorly emotional as I did the bit between Loki and his mother. Am I the only one who felt a twist in the heart as she told him that he's still her son? Anybody? Send me your thoughts and I will love you forever!**


	13. Another Battle

**Oops, I did it again! :) I posted as early as possible because I got so many great reviews! This fic makes me majorly happy and I have so much fun with it. I hope it doesn't seem rushed. I honestly spent a couple of hours writing out this next chapter. Maybe even three. I didn't keep track of the time spent, but it was late by the time I finished. I get so excited after I post that I have to move on to the next one. I wonder what the heck I'll be doing when this story ends. Probably plotting out a new one. ;) Who knows? Let's just be happy that this one is _not_ over yet.**

**laureas: I do love Odin a lot, which is why I, unlike many Fanfiction writers out there, decided not to make him cruel and unusual. I'll see if I can find a way to set up a Fury and Mace moment. And yep, I've always seen Frigga as the loving mother type that would never give up on her son.**

**Pirate-Spy-Demigod-Wizard: No problemo—here it is! :)**

**Irish-Brigid: Very true. He'd be a great politician, though he probably wouldn't have the patience for politics. Considering that pranks are a part of who he is, I can't see him reining them in anytime soon.**

**Kore-Proserpina: Yay for Loki's redemption! I hope I captured Odin and Frigga's characters all right.**

**Pergjithshme: Hooray for fangirl moments!**

**NARUTO SON OF ARTEMIS: Yeah, I gotcha. Grievous won't become an Avenger or anything, but I can do your first request. Grievous becoming an Avenger would kind of screw with the storyline of the Clone Wars. While this _is_ an Alternate Universe fic, I'm still trying to keep it as realistic as possible.**

**Tiger of the Storm: Sorry for updating so late. If I update too late at night, you certainly don't have to read it right away. ;) I wouldn't take offense if you waited to review the next day. I just wanted to get it up because I promised that a lot of reviews make me update faster, and I got A LOT of awesome reviews on the chapter before last.**

**Rachaell Dionzeros: Oh gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to mess up your name…I apologize. Here's a virtual cookie. :)**

**AaylaKit: Nice! Haha yes! That epic writer's win when the author nails the perfect quote. :D And you're right; it was Niflheim that you used. I can't think of any more either.**

**FutureOscarWinner94: I figured a lot of people would like Loki meeting the Council face-to-face.**

* * *

The Tesseract transported Loki and Sif straight to the ship where the Avengers were being held. Sif had not been on Midgard since she and the Warriors Three had gone against Loki's orders to find Thor, so this was a bit of an awkward moment for her. Loki's heart was pounding a little faster than normal, considering the Other was probably somewhere on this ship.

The Avengers had a variety of reactions at Loki's presence. Natasha and Barton looked at him as if he was crazy. _Get the Tesseract out of here, you idiot!_ their expressions seemed to say. Banner looked uncertain as he always did, and Steve's expression was unreadable. Tony was stunned. It was Thor that got Loki's attention, though. The god's expression was filled with…was that _love_?

"Brother," Thor whispered. He knew that Loki should not be there, but he could not keep the relief and joy from his features.

"Are you insane?" Natasha demanded, finally speaking. "The Other could be back any moment! He'll go straight for the Tesseract and the universe—Earth included—will be finished."

"And what is Earth without the Avengers to protect it?" Loki asked. He turned around to face Thor again. "Why do you greet me so warmly? I betrayed you."

"You did not betray us," Thor said.

"Dooku told us of your trick," Tony explained. "Nice one. I take my hat off to you."

Loki looked confused. "You're not wearing a—never mind. We've got to get you out of here. I have a plan that could save Midgard if not the entire universe. Sif and I—"

"—somehow managed to infiltrate my ship," Dooku said in a calm voice. "Welcome back, Loki. I would say that it is nice to see you, but I am not a blatant liar like you. I will say, however, that your presence is a surprise." He chuckled. "And you said _we_ were the foolish ones."

The Other stepped in beside him. "I never expected the Tesseract to come to us," he admitted. "This is a move that not even I expected. Especially not from you."

"You'll find I'm full of surprises," Loki said, holding the Tesseract behind his back and placing it in Sif's hands. Sif made no facial indication of his action.

"Indeed," Dooku said. "Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Hand us the Tesseract, and your lives will be spared."

"It won't be that easy, and you know it. I didn't come this far to simply hand you what you want." Loki's gaze was fixed unflinchingly on his enemy's.

"Brave words from a fool's mouth." Dooku extended a hand and clenched it into a fist. Loki felt his throat close up, as if an invisible hand had seized his neck. His eyes widened and his hands slipped involuntarily to his throat, though there was nothing there. Dooku continued to choke the life out of him and he wondered vaguely if this was the end.

"Remember our agreement," the Other hissed. "I will deal with Loki myself."

Oh. So this _wasn't_ the end.

"Of course," Dooku said mildly. "Right now, I believe you have a power source to obtain."

The Other turned on Sif, who fell into a battle stance. Loki turned panicked eyes on her. "Do not try to fight him!" he choked out. It was time for his plan to be set into motion. "You must take the Tesseract away…transport…back…!"

Understanding dawned on Sif. "You were planning this all along, weren't you? You intended to accompany me so that I could be the means of taking the Tesseract to safety."

"Only…if we were attacked…" Loki gasped. "I hoped you would take it away if the worst happened…"

Sif looked hurt. "Midgard needs me to fight in this battle," she said, backing away from the Other, who was advancing on her.

"You are a great warrior, Sif," Thor said, coming to Loki's aid, "but right now, you need to go. Wait with Heimdall so that he can keep you updated. If you must, use the Tesseract to transport back here, but bring a guard with you so that he can take it back to Asgard."

Sif nodded unhappily and faced Loki. "But…what will happen to you?"

Loki gritted his teeth as dark spots started to appear in his vision. "It's all…part of the…plan…"

She glared defiantly at the Other and disappeared seconds before he lunged at her. He found himself on the ground, snarling in anger. "It got away again!" He whirled around to face Loki. "You will pay for this! I will make your death the longest, slowest, and most painful in existence! You will feel the wrath of the Chitauri and it will break you to a shadow of your former self." He turned his glare on Dooku. "Let go of him. You're killing him. He must live."

As Dooku lowered his arm, Loki felt the invisible hand let go. He fell onto his hands and knees, feeling air rush back into his lungs. It felt good, yet it hurt at the same time. He was stronger than mortals, who would probably die from being held that long. He lifted his bowed head and stared angrily up at his two enemies. "What are you going to do?" he growled, his voice shaky from the choking ordeal.

"You will come with us." Dooku grabbed Loki by the shoulder and yanked him up.

"Loki, no!" Thor shouted. He wanted to throw himself against the ray shield, but he knew that his death would not help his brother. "Why did you come back?" he whispered. "Why did you walk into your own death?"

Loki half-smiled sadly. "I have a plan," he said. "Just let it play out. Trust me."

As Loki was pulled away, Tony commented, "It's kind of hard to trust the god of lies and mischief."

"Loki is unpredictable," Banner agreed. He knew unpredictability when he saw it, especially considering that he was the perfect example of it.

"He may be," Thor said, "but he has proven his loyalty to us. His plan, whatever it may be, will work."

"We don't even know what it is," Steve said. He was always a man with a plan, and not knowing what the agenda was certainly bugged him.

"Knowing Loki, we'll find out soon enough," Thor said confidently. "You must have faith that he knows what he is doing."

Barton looked doubtful. "I still don't trust him."

"Neither do I, but what choice do we have?" Natasha sighed, defeated. "We're in no state to make plans of our own, so we've got to cross our fingers that Loki's plan will work."

Thor smiled at her, grateful for her support. "Just wait and see. He will not fail us."

* * *

Loki was dragged to another room and thrown inside. He knew not what was going to be done to him, but he hoped that the Jedi would arrive in time. The Other loomed over him menacingly and sneered, "You will not need your magic." He grabbed Loki's wrists and cuffed them. The cuffs burned into his skin and he let out a small gasp of pain as he felt his magic being drained out of him. The Other placed two fingers under Loki's chin and pushed it up so that the god of mischief was looking straight up at him. "I have been looking forward to this moment," he whispered. "Your death will go down in history, Laufeyson."

"Odinson," Loki managed to say. "I am the son of Odin." It was the first time he had felt this way in a long time, and the words felt strange on his tongue, yet right at the same time.

"You _wish_ you were, Asgardian," the Other snickered. "Now, what to do with you? Perhaps the best form of torture is mental rather than physical. Beginning with the mind—tearing you apart from the inside out and making you go insane—would be a thrilling prologue to the unbearable ride that you are about to embark on."

"Get on with it, then," Loki spat venomously.

"Gladly." He placed a hand on Loki's head. Loki steeled himself for the worst, but the pain did not come. When he opened his eyes, he felt the Other remove his hand. "What is it, Dooku?" he hissed. "I am in the middle of something."

"You'll have to torture Loki later," Dooku said, an edge of fear in his voice. "Our ship—it is under attack!"

Loki bowed his head so that they would not see his expression. A slight smile played at his lips. The Other turned on him angrily. "_What did you do?_" he shouted.

Loki looked up, his grin widening. "You didn't think I was reckless enough to come alone?" The Other grabbed him by the neck and threw him against the wall. Though it hurt, Loki's satisfaction at the timely arrival of the Jedi was enough to make him ignore the pain. "You'd best be going. You have a battle to fight."

The Other whirled around and whooshed out of the room, followed by Dooku. The door was shut, leaving Loki alone in a dark, empty room. He sat still for several moments, checking to make sure that he had not broken anything. The smile did not melt away. It would take more than a connection with the wall to injure him. Letting out a sigh, he sat still, listening and waiting. It would only be a matter of minutes before someone would open the door. He wasn't sure if it would be a hostile coming to take him away or a friend coming to bring him into the battle where he belonged. Either way, he was ready. If only his hands were free. His magic would be helpful right about now, and the cuffs around his wrists still burned. Was there some kind of poison in them? He wasn't sure, but it was not a pleasant feeling to say the least.

As he had expected, the door opened several minutes later. He did not expect to see Anakin and certainly not Thor there, but there they stood. Thor rushed into the room and pulled Loki into an embrace. Loki could not return it, considering his hands were restrained, but he did not pull away. He just let his arms hang in front of him and kept his expression neutral. "Are you all right?" Thor asked, pulling away so that he could survey Loki's body.

"I'm fine," Loki assured him. "I'd like these to be removed, though," he added, a twinge of desperation in his voice.

"I can take care of that," Anakin said, taking out his lightsaber. "Don't freak out, okay? I'm a professional and this will not hurt a bit."

Loki doubted it would work. The things were probably protected by magic. He closed his eyes and waited for the weapon to bounce off of the restraints. He was surprised to feel the pain disappear instantly as they fell to the ground. When he opened his eyes, he saw that his wrists had bright red cuts where the cuffs had been.

Thor's searching gaze did not miss this. "Loki—"

"They're not deep," Loki reassured him. "Let's get out of here."

Thor helped Loki to his feet and led him out of the dark room. They ran across the halls of the ship and found their way to the other Avengers. Steve was barking orders.

"Okay, team. We need to get back to Stark Tower where we can get patched up. I'm sure the clones can hold their own without us while we suit up, right? Right. Natasha, you're gravely injured, so you need to go straight for the medical room, where Banner will take care of you. Tony, get your suit fixed. How long will that take?"

"About fifteen minutes," Tony answered.

"Good. Thor, I'm sure you're ready to fight already, so take your hammer and do some damage. Loki, are you fit to fight?" Loki nodded. "Excellent. Agent Barton, get your bow and load up on arrows. I'm sure you left your stock in your room. Everyone except Thor and Loki need to get to Stark Tower as quickly as possible." He faced the brothers. "We'll be there to help you soon."

"We'll be sure to save some soldiers for you, Captain," Loki chuckled.

"Much appreciated. Let's move out!" Everyone made for the nearest exit. The ship had landed by now, so it was easy to get out.

"I can fly Agent Romanoff to Stark Tower with Mjolnir," Thor suggested.

"That would be a wise idea," Barton said. He faced his partner. "I'll be there soon."

She smiled. "Don't take too long."

Thor lifted her up gently and used his hammer to fly to Stark Tower. Banner rushed toward that general direction, knowing that he was needed in order to get Natasha properly healed. Though it was tempting—well, not really—to turn into the Hulk and smash some warriors, he had to get there as himself.

Loki realized that he had to fight this part of the battle on his own. At least he had six Jedi and an army behind him this time. "Hey there, Loki," Kit greeted, jumping from a building and landing neatly beside the Asgardian. "Did we get here fast enough?"

Loki nodded. He decided not to tell the Jedi that they had saved him from the beginning of the worst experience of his existence. "Let's just say that your arrival was…convenient and well-timed."

Kit took out his lightsaber and started slashing droids and Chitauri soldiers that came their way. "I sense that our timing prevented a major disaster. Am I right?"

"You do not know the half of it," Loki murmured, using his magic to steer a tank off course.

"Where's the rest of your buddies?" the Nautolan inquired.

"They'll be along soon enough."

"Good. I'd hate for them to miss all the fun." Kit sprang into the air and slammed his lightsaber into the tank that Loki had disrupted.

As Kit left, Loki realized that he was not dressed for a fight. He was wearing the same thing he had worn when he was captured by S.H.I.E.L.D way back when. Summoning his magic, he focused on morphing the outfit into his Asgardian battle armor. His helmet appeared on his head and gold armor and a green cape covered his body. He was ready for anything now.

For the next hour, Loki fought his hardest against the armies. He watched clones strategize and follow through. Every move was well thought out and he admired their courage and intelligence. Loki turned and waved his hand, creating a duplicate of himself. He hid behind a building and watched as a group of Chitauri warriors surrounded him. The illusion put its hands in the air, looking afraid, while the real Loki leapt behind each soldier in turn, using daggers to kill them quickly.

The clones were clearly doing well, but Loki had a feeling that the battle would not be won without the Avengers. He scanned the sky, hoping to see Thor or Iron Man there. None of them showed up. Not even Thor. He must have been held up.

"I figured I would find you here," a familiar voice growled.

Loki whirled around, suddenly face-to-face with Grievous. He grinned. "I figured I'd find you hiding away somewhere."

"You are foolish to mock me!" He whipped out a lightsaber and swung at Loki. It was a well-timed shot, but he was surprised to see that his blade had swiped the air.

"Miss me?" Loki asked from behind.

Grievous whirled around angrily and stabbed the lightsaber right through the Asgardian's chest. The droid leader's eyes gleamed in triumph, but it did not last long. Loki still stood there, completely unscathed, and yawned. "What is this?" Grievous demanded.

Loki appeared behind the duplicate and waved his hand to make it disappear. "I'm right here," he said, provoking the monster with a bored expression. Grievous sprang at him, but again, Loki disappeared and reappeared a few feet away. "It frustrates you to come _so close_," he taunted. He then waved a hand, making dozens of illusions appear around the general, all laughing.

Grievous leapt at one, then another, going right through each one. "Who are you?" he growled.

"I am Loki, son of Odin and prince of Asgard. I am your worst nightmare." He threw a dagger at Grievous, who had had enough. Loki watched, satisfied, as the general fled. Once the monster was gone, he had a chance to think about what he had just said. It had sounded bold at the time, but he had to face the fact that he was no longer a prince of Asgard. In fact, he was not even considered an Asgardian. He had lost his rights. Technically, he was nobody. But if he had answered Grievous's question honestly, he would have sounded weak. He did not like sounding weak.

Sighing, he launched back into the battle. In a matter of minutes, he found himself chasing a particularly feisty Chitauri warrior into a vacant building. The warrior smiled evilly and pointed behind the Asgardian, where the Other stood. Loki turned to face his enemy. "I've seen an awful lot of you lately," he said.

"You'll be seeing much more," the Other growled menacingly. He approached and grabbed Loki by the shoulders. "Listen here—"

A cough interrupted him. Loki's eyes widened at the sight of the Avengers assembled just inside the building. It was exactly as it had been the day he was defeated. Iron Man was on the far left, his helmet off so that his face was visible. Captain America was beside him, shield at his side. The Hulk was directly behind Captain America and Iron Man, growling threateningly. Thor and the Black Widow were on the far right, the former gripping Mjolnir and the latter holding a gun in her right hand. Hawkeye was in the middle, closest to the Other, with his bow extended and loaded with an arrow.

The Other laughed. "Surely you are not here to defend this criminal?"

"That _criminal_ is one of us," Hawkeye said, his voice holding a warning note. "I suggest you step away from him."

The Other took a cautious step away from Loki and very slowly raised his hands.

"That's much better," the Black Widow said. "I think it's time for you to call off the attack."

Iron Man raised an arm and extended it toward the Other. Weapons of various types appeared as they had in Germany, when he had threatened Loki into surrendering. "If you want option two, which concerns your body parts splattered all over the wall, so be it. The choice is up to you."

The Other glared angrily at Loki. "_You_ did this!"

"I helped," Loki admitted. "I am proud to be an ally of the Avengers."

"You are not an ally of the Avengers," Iron Man said seriously.

"You _are_ an Avenger," Captain America finished.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything within this story or any outside information mentioned in the story.**

**AN: So, I wasn't planning to end it there. It just kind of happened. When I wrote that last line, I knew that it was the perfect way to end the chapter. Don't worry! It's not the end of the fic. There is more to come. What do you think?**


	14. Retreat and Reflection

**Everyone, listen up! Do I have your attention? *looks around* Good. I need ideas. After you read this chapter, I ask you to shoot any and all ideas that you have that will help me further this fic. If there are none, I'd have no way of continuing, so if you really love this story, then help me keep it alive! :D No idea is silly, so don't be afraid. I might not use all of your ideas, but I'll consider each and every one. I'll post this message at the bottom, too.**

**Tiger of the Storm: YAY! I loved that part too. Way back when, I used to be unable to update on weekdays. Now, I can update anytime I want. I was never able to update on a daily basis until I began to write _Invasion_. As it progressed, it was easier to update regularly.**

**Irish-Brigid: Yeah, I see what you mean. Sorry that everything is happening so fast. I figured that if I developed the story too deeply, then I'd be turning this thing into a book. It's already over eighty word document pages long. I guess I was just so excited about doing Loki's redemption that I didn't quite hit the mark there. You must understand that Loki's character is very deep and very difficult to portray in fics such as this. I'm doing the best I can, but I always face the struggle that is ever-present in using Loki's character.**

**FutureOscarWinner94: The Jedi have a lot to do, but they don't go back on their promises. :) Haha yay you said AWESOME SAUCE! I totally use that all the time. I got if from my brother.**

**Raych: Again, I apologize. I've never gotten a name wrong before, so I feel bad. I'm so glad you love my story and your feedback is much appreciated!**

**NARUTO SON OF ARTEMIS: Nice idea. I was already halfway through this chapter when I received your review, though. I assure you that Mace and Fury do interact in this chap.**

**AaylaKit (Portal of Destiny): That was one of my favorite parts—where Kit pointed out that it's a T-rated fic. XD Yeah, I see what you mean. You'll still check my profile for _Invasion_ updates, right? Right? :O Haha, don't worry. There are times that clichés are appropriate. Tell Ayy that, in response to her review, I'm not sure if I'll write another SW fanfic or not. I don't have any good ideas for one… And you guys seriously need profiles so I can PM you. XD**

**AaylaKit (Invasion): Grievous: "Who are you?" Loki: "Your worst nightmare!" So glad you liked that part. It was actually a last-minute extension. I was reading over the final product and then I got someone's review that suggested Loki toy with Grievous in battle, using his magic. So I thought it was a good idea and implemented it. :D**

**Cassy27: I thank you for reading and reviewing all my chapters! Your feedback gave me a major boost and you helped me see some points that I doubted at first and am now confident about. So, thank you!**

**Ptroxsora: Don't worry. I wouldn't end it there. I'm not THAT mean. *wink* The end _is_ drawing near, unfortunately. This is my favorite fic that I've ever done, and I hate to see it go, but there isn't much else I can add to it. UNLESS someone gives me a great idea for a continuation of it.**

**chris: Ooh, you're back! :) Thank you. I liked that part too.**

* * *

Loki blinked, surprised, and let his gaze travel over every single one of the Avengers. Iron Man's serious façade disappeared into a friendly smirk. Captain America's expression told Loki that he had not been joking when he made that statement. The Hulk was…well…the Hulk. He probably wouldn't remember this later, but they'd fill him in. Hawkeye gave a tiny nod of acknowledgement, as if saying that he was finally ready to put the past behind him. The Black Widow responded similarly. Thor grinned encouragingly, his eyes glowing with affection.

"This means nothing," the Other sneered. "You may have them fooled, but you will never fool me. It is no secret that you are hiding behind their protection. You and I both know that _he_ is after you. He wants to see you suffer. You are a coward, Loki, cowering behind those that defeated his forces before."

"I can defend myself," Loki spat. "Must I prove it to you by breaking your neck?"

"Relax, brother," Thor said. "The Other will be brought to justice."

Loki turned away from his enemy, knowing that he would not rest well at night until the Chitauri and Thanos were all dead. "I believe we have a battle to win," he said, concealing his frustration.

Thor nodded, knowing that he would have time to catch up with his brother later. For now, they had to save New York from mass destruction…again. Three invasions were enough to vacate the city for a while. _This_ would certainly be all over the news. Anyone who did not know of the Avengers before would definitely notice them now.

Loki's back was to the Other, so he did not see the villain leap at him until it was almost too late. Iron Man raised an arm and blasted the Chitauri leader against the wall. Loki whirled around, surprised. No one could sneak up on him. Ever. He walked over to the body of his former recruiter and gazed down at him. He was dead. Loki, of course, felt no regret. Only triumph and relief. The threat hanging over his head was almost gone.

"Let's finish this," the Black Widow said.

The Hulk let out a roar of agreement and was the first one to exit the building to get back to the battle. The rest of the Avengers followed except for Loki, who gave the Other one last, long glance, as if the villain would come back and choke the life out of him. After several heartbeats of silence, Loki was satisfied that the Other was really gone for good. As he stepped out of the building, he felt the tension in his chest lighten a bit, as if a gigantic burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

The battle raged on, though it was not nearly as intense as the last one. With the clones on their side and the Other dead, the two armies were beginning to slowly back down.

* * *

Grievous appeared before Count Dooku in hologram form. "The army of the Republic is overtaking our forces," he reported. "We would have no problem fighting the numbers that were transported here, but this group called the Avengers is destroying waves of troops without a struggle!"

"You have your training," Dooku said stiffly. "You have better reflexes than the Jedi themselves! Are you saying that you cannot defeat simple humans?"

They were not simple humans, and both Separatist leaders knew it.

* * *

This battle was easier than the first, but there were always challenges. While the Avengers and the Jedi had less trouble fighting, they were still susceptible to injuries.

"Where is Fury?" the Black Widow asked though her communicator. "I haven't seen him since…" She paused a moment. "Come to think of it, he wasn't around during the first battle. Do you think he's all right?"

"I'm fine," Fury said, surprising the Avengers. "I'm on my way to your location now."

"Hurry up, Director," Iron Man urged. "You're missing the party."

Fury did not reply. He was too busy jumping out of a helicopter that was flying low. He did a shoulder roll and found himself face-to-face with Master Mace Windu. They sized each other up a moment, then fell into battle stances as masses of droids came their way.

"Cover me," the S.H.I.E.L.D Director shouted over the noise of the battle.

Mace nodded and used his lightsaber to deflect any bolts that came Fury's way. They were soon back-to-back, Mace using his lightsaber and Fury using a gun that was loaded with a special type of ammunition that could penetrate the battle droids.

Iron Man flew above them and stopped when he saw the scene below. "The twins have landed. I repeat, the twins have landed."

"Get back to the battle, Stark," Fury ordered.

"Sir, yes sir!" Iron Man saluted, which looked pretty cool when you think about it.

"I'm taking to the skies," Anakin informed them. "Obi-Wan, how're you holding up?"

"Just fine, Anakin. I think an aerial assault would be a wise idea. We've got the ground mostly covered. Go have fun."

"Always." Anakin grinned and jumped into his ship.

Nearby, Loki threw daggers at clusters of Chitauri warriors. He and Hawkeye bumped into each other. "You take that side; I'll take this one," the agent said. Loki nodded and the two of them closed in on the group of enemies. When the soldiers were demolished, Loki and Hawkeye met at the middle. Hawkeye nodded approvingly. "Nicely done." The assassin admitted to himself that it would take a while to get used to the idea that Loki was on their side, but at least they were making progress.

Thor looked down from the top of a building, smiling at the sight of those two getting along. The fact that his brother had taken over Hawkeye's mind wasn't to be ignored, yet the S.H.I.E.L.D agent seemed willing to make amends. The god of thunder turned his attention away from the ground and focused on using Mjolnir to do his bidding.

He did not realize this, but Dooku was watching him summon thunder. For once, Darth Tyranus was afraid. He had to find a way to contact his Master, but how? Stark Tower was the only source powerful enough to do this.

"The Other is dead," a battle droid informed him. "Should we make the order for retreat?"

Dooku watched the conflict in dread. If his ally truly was dead, then the Chitauri would draw back soon. He hated to retreat from a battle, but Dooku was a smart man. "Get the warships loaded up and prepare to evacuate," he ordered. "They win this round." He glared at the visual of the battle. "This planet is puny and insignificant anyway. It is too much of a bother to fight over." Battle droids, as he had reminded Grievous on several occasions, were expensive. He could not afford to invest in a pointless battle against a planet so far away that it didn't affect the war against the Republic at all.

* * *

"They're retreating!" Iron Man reported. He had a clear view from the sky, so he could see the droids marching into transports that were loaded into the warships. "All that are left are the Chitauri, and I think they're beginning to realize that the Other is dead. That, and it's no secret that Dooku's army is leaving them behind."

"The Chitauri are not individually intelligent, but they are smart enough to see that keeping this up is pointless," Loki said.

"We won," the Black Widow said, weariness and relief in her voice.

"Not yet," Fury said. "We've got to keep going until the armies are completely clear."

"Roger that," Hawkeye said.

"Everyone alive out there?" Captain America asked. Though the way it was worded was rather amusing, the soldier was dead serious.

"Let's do a headcount." Iron Man flew through the city, scanning for the rest of the Avengers. "I've got a visual on the Hulk, Loki, and Thor."

"Of course you have a visual on the Hulk. How can you miss him?" Hawkeye pointed out.

"Everyone's alive," Iron Man confirmed. "We're fine. How are the Jedi faring?"

"Swell," Anakin replied. "I don't sense any deaths on our side."

"I wish _I_ had an inner sensor that could let me know who's alive and who's not," Iron Man complained. In all his technology and intelligence, he could not replicate a Jedi's connection to the Force.

"Ignore him," Fury said to Mace. "He is like this all time."

"Not on Wednesdays," Iron Man objected.

"Yes, even on Wednesdays," the Black Widow refuted.

"Thanks for your support. I'll remember this," Iron Man said warningly, an edge of the ever-present humor in his voice.

"That's the last of them," Anakin told everyone. "The Chitauri and Separatists are in full retreat and not a single one remains in the air. Any rogues on the ground?"

"Negatory," Iron Man answered after doing a sweep through the streets.

"Artoo, perform a scan," Anakin ordered. The little droid beeped in compliance and scanned the range of the entire state of New York. When the scan was done, the astromech informed its master that there was nothing to worry about. "All clear," Anakin announced.

"Great!" Iron Man sounded tired, yet sarcastically enthused at the same time. "Who's up for some pizza? Anyone? I don't think the Asgardian Princess has tried it yet."

Loki smiled. "I think you are mistaken. You were in the room when Thor tried it. It was hard to miss, really."

"I see what you did there!" Anakin laughed.

Thor, who was still on top of a building, made a face. "Remember who the stronger of the two of us is, brother," he warned.

"_You_ remember who the smarter of the two of us is," Loki countered. He had deliberately left the _brother_ part out. Sure, he and Thor were on the same page now, but it didn't mean that he considered the god of thunder his brother. Sentiment. He loathed sentiment.

Thor was quick to notice that Loki had left the _brother_ part out, but he made no comment. Forcing a brotherly relationship would only push Loki away, and he did not want that to happen again. The fact that they were mostly at peace with each other was enough for now. Perhaps, one day, they could restore their old bond. Thor thought sadly of the moment when his brother had called out to him for help. _Brother! Help me!_ Was Loki angry that Thor had not been able to save him? Possibly, but most likely not.

"Everyone—assemble in Stark Tower," Fury ordered. "It is still intact, correct?"

"Affirmative," Iron Man confirmed. "I didn't exactly expect another invasion, but I made the newest Stark Tower virtually invincible." He grinned, though no one could see it through the iron suit. "Me and my big ideas. You didn't think that preparedness was in my vocabulary, did you, Nick?"

"Very good, Stark," Fury said, though his voice did not indicate approval.

"You're hard to please," Tony snorted. "Even if I defeated both armies with a hand tied behind my back, you still wouldn't be impressed."

"I am a practical man," Fury said simply. "I do not waste time dwelling on how I would react to ludicrous twists in reality."

"Ouch. Congratulations; you managed to penetrate my iron suit with your steel heart," Iron Man said dramatically.

"I see what you did there!" Anakin repeated. "Considering that steel is…stronger…than iron…I'll shut up now."

* * *

Everyone made their way to Stark Tower and cleaned up before entering the room. Captain America was Steve Rogers once again, wearing a plain white t-shirt, leather jacket, and khaki pants. Thor still wore his Asgardian armor, as he always did. Tony had removed the suit. The agents did not change out of their normal outfits, but they did tend to their injuries. Banner walked in with a blue collared shirt. Loki transformed out of his armor and into what he had worn before the battle. Everyone felt much better.

"The threat has passed. Now we need to discuss what must be done from here," Fury said.

"What, you're not even going to ask us how we are?" Tony complained. "We just fought a major battle and won. Give us a break."

Before Fury could reply, JARVIS interrupted. "Sir, the pizza has arrived."

"Are there any bombs in it?" Tony joked. The Jedi were instantly alert. The word _bomb_ set them on edge. It was a real possibility that the food could be bombed. "Calm down, I was joking. Send it up, JARVIS."

"Right away, sir."

"We do not have time for pizza right now, Stark," Fury scowled.

"There's always time for pizza," Tony argued.

"I second that!" Thor boomed.

Loki turned to face him. "Do you ever _stop_ eating?"

"He eats constantly, yet he still looks like he's on steroids. What's your secret, big fella?" Tony asked, leaning forward.

"He is a god," Fury said. "End of discussion."

"No, _not_ end of discussion," Tony said, eager to annoy the Director. "Loki is a god, yet he's paper-thin. Why is this?"

"Leave it alone, Stark," Natasha said.

Kit chuckled. "I like this guy," he said, gesturing toward Tony. When everyone turned to look at him, he got defensive. "What? We need a sense of humor in these dead serious times."

Tony clapped once. "Finally, someone who speaks my language."

Banner raised an eyebrow. "Have I been replaced?"

"Of course not, Doc," Tony reassured him.

Loki let out a sigh of irritation. They always seemed to deviate from the main point. He thought of redirecting them from their petty conversations, but what was the use? They probably wouldn't listen to him. He glanced at Thor, wondering if the god of thunder was thinking the same thing. Thor wasn't the pensive type, so Loki was surprised to see the pondering expression. What was he thinking about? He found himself edging closer, curiosity getting the better of him. "Is everything all right, Thor?" he asked quietly, barely heard over the loud conversations around him that mostly consisted of Tony's smart comments.

Thor blinked as if his mind was jerked from another realm. "Of course," he said. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You know that you cannot lie around me," Loki reminded him. The god of lies could not be lied to. Detecting them was second-nature to him. "What is bothering you?"

Thor turned to look into Loki's intelligent green eyes and felt that it would not be wise to confide in his brother. He was still thinking about the time that Loki had cried out to him during the first battle. He had promised that he would be there for Loki and that he would protect him, yet where was he when he was needed the most? "Do you have to know?" he asked at last.

Loki shrugged. "Whether you tell me or not is up to you." He glanced at the door, where the pizza man appeared. "You had better make it quick, before everyone takes all the food and leaves none for you."

The smile returned to Thor's face. "Don't worry about it," he said, standing up. "It would only upset you."

"You must know by now that I am used to being upset," Loki pointed out. "Hurting my feelings has never been you main concern, nor should it." He refrained from rolling his eyes. Sentiment.

Thor shook his head and sat back down again. "I wasn't there for you," he said simply.

"Care to elaborate?"

"I swore that I would protect you. You cried out to me…you called me _brother_…and—"

"Stop right there," Loki ordered. He did _not_ want to go there. He wanted to forget that moment of weakness. "You have done nothing wrong. We were all captured that day. Do not blame yourself and do _not_ remind me of that moment. I was weakened by fear. You will not see that slip of the tongue from me again."

Thor's expression was a mixture of confusion, relief, and hurt. "I thought—"

Loki waved a hand to stop him. "Please, Thor." He did not forget the moment that he had referred to himself as Odin's son. Was that another slip of the tongue? Another sign of weakness? He was not sure, but the confusion of who he was and how he felt was beginning to make his head hurt.

"Why won't you admit your feelings to yourself?" Thor asked softly. "It would be so much easier if you just accepted that you are a part of my family and that the All-Father is your father as well. Why are you so conflicted?"

"I don't know!" he shouted, alerting everyone else in the room. He lowered his voice. "I need to think." He didn't know who he was anymore, and he hated it. Though he was telling the truth—he _did_ need to think—he knew that organizing his troubled mind would be long and exhausting. He was overwhelmed, and he did not like it one bit.

"Are you okay, Loki?" Steve asked, taking a step forward.

"No, he's not," Thor said. "He—"

"I can speak for myself, thank you," Loki said sharply. "I am fine. I just…need to rest." That was true, but he knew that it would not happen. How could he sleep? He hunched over and placed two fingers on each of his temples, trying to massage the headache away. Thor placed a hand on his brother's back, trying to comfort him. Loki was too disoriented to pull away.

"I think Loki has a point," Fury said after a pause. "We all need some rest. Tomorrow, we have much to discuss."

"I was thinking of having a party tonight or tomorrow," Tony said, "but I suppose sleep comes first." He faced Thor and Loki. "Get Loki to eat some pizza," he suggested. "It'll help." He grinned. "I'm surprised you haven't eaten an entire pie yet, Thor."

"My brother needs me," Thor said simply.

"Just eat, Thor," Loki said. He needed space.

Thor nodded, seeming to pick this up from his brother's body language, and went straight to the pizza. As Tony predicted, he ate an entire box of it.

"Have you ever had pizza?" Tony asked the Jedi, who had been standing politely at a distance throughout their stay.

"No," Mace replied.

"You're missing out! There's plenty left, you know." Tony held up a box of pepperoni. "You _know_ you want it."

Anakin was the first one to try it. He immediately handed some to Obi-Wan, insisting with his eyes that the Jedi Master take a bite. Before long, all of the Jedi were eating it.

"Loki, come on," Thor urged. "It'll make you feel better."

Loki forced a slight smile. "Save some," he requested. "I might take you up on that later." He kept his tone light, though his head still hurt and questions still swirled around in his mind.

One by one, the Avengers, Fury, and the Jedi retreated to rest. Tony showed them each to a room, assuring them that there was plenty of space. Once everyone was settled, he returned to the main area to see Loki still sitting there, a pained expression on his face. "Are you just going to sit there?" Tony asked. When Loki nodded, he shrugged and said, "There's a room over there if you want it."

Loki appreciated Tony's casual tone and the Avengers' acceptance of him, though it was hard to fathom. It added to the mix of thoughts that raced through his mind. Once he was sure that Tony was gone, he found himself walking over to the window again. His head spun when he stood up, but moping on the couch was not like him. He had to find a way to clear his head, but how? He had no answer to this question, so he merely stood in front of the window, staring at the empty streets disinterestedly.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or Star Wars or anything like that.**

**AN: So…I need ideas. Now that you read this chapter, I ask you to shoot any and all ideas that you have that will help me further this fic. If there are none, I'd have no way of continuing, so if you really love this story, then help me keep it alive! :D No idea is silly, so don't be afraid. I might not use all of your ideas, but I'll consider each and every one.**

**Now that I think about it, I could use some ideas for a new fic, too. I'm leaning toward something Avengers-related. Perhaps another post-Avengers fic. It will definitely involve Loki. XD Whether or not it includes Star Wars, I am unsure. But I need something to do after this fic is done. I already have one idea for a comedy one-shot, but after that… What do you guys think? What do you want to see from me? I'll take requests via review or PM. Give me your thoughts.**


	15. Who to Trust

**Thanks so much to everyone who suggested some ideas for me. I think I know where I'm going now! One person PM'd me with an idea that got the wheels turning in my mind. A lot of you reviewed and I answered via PM. I'm so glad that everyone is so willing to help me further this fic! I think I know what to do now. It shall not end yet! By the way, I have an important announcement at the top of my profile. I'm hoping that a lot of people will read it because it is MUY important. That's right. I just spoke Spanglish like a boss. XD**

**laureas: Your review was so helpful, that I PM'd you! Thanks!**

**Ptroxsora: Don't worry, I think I know where to go now.**

**Pergjithshme: I know, right! *fangirling like crazy***

**Kore-Proserpina: Okay, I'll be eagerly awaiting your PM. :)**

**Patrick O'Loughlin: Aw, man, now would be the perfect time for me to know more about Superman! I grew up watching a couple of the movies, but I know so little that I'd have a ton of trouble with character and plot development. Thanks for your help, though, and I hope my PM was useful. :)**

**Irish-Brigid: Yeah, I see where you're going there. A couple of people have suggested that the Avengers go to aid the Jedi against the Separatists, but your point has definitely been made, in the sense that the Avengers have obligations elsewhere.**

**Raychaell Dionzeros: I copied and pasted your name so there's NO WAY I'll ever get it wrong again! :D Anywho, I might consider that. Sounds like a good idea. Tony DID allude to having a party. Maybe near the end, I'll have that happen as a sign-off.**

**NARUTO SON OF ARTEMIS: Nooooo. O_O Mental image, mental image, mental image! *cringes and stares at pictures of Loki to wash away mental image* Okay, I'm good now. No idea is silly, like I said before, but I seriously hope you were joking there. XD I'm not doing a pairing fic, so…yeah.**

**AaylaKit: Okay! I'll see if I can do that. That'd be SO FUNNY if Boba went after Fury. Hmm…this is the Clone Wars era so Boba would be…about twelve. Wookieepedia says that he was thirteen when the Clone Wars ended, so he'd be roughly eleven or twelve.**

**11SnowLeopard11: That makes two requests for Boba Fett. Looks like our bounty hunter friend is going to make an appearance! Though not in this chapter, he will show up soon, so keep a look out!**

**Cassy27: Tony is fun to do, and it feels great to know that I'm nailing the serious and humorous sides of him. Ah, Thor and Loki. *shakes head sadly* Someday, but not today. As I said in the PM, I love your idea.**

**Whip-Owl: I'm not sure if you'll get this far, but I figured I'd reply to your review anyway, even though I PM'd you. I can't really see you enjoying it if you don't know who Loki is, but who knows? You might still like it. :)**

**chris: I did consider that, yes. A couple of people gave me that idea, but Irish-Brigid made a good point. Every single one of the Avengers have obligations elsewhere, whether it be Asgard, Earth, or S.H.I.E.L.D. Plus, Banner would NOT be able to survive the flight there. Thanks for the idea, though, and I did think it through.**

* * *

Hours passed in which Loki stood alone with his thoughts. Something inside him kept him from succumbing to sleep. Why was it so difficult to simply lie down and let his worries wash away into dreams? It would be so easy, yet…it would make him so vulnerable. _Stop it_, he scolded himself. There was no one in this building that he did not trust…right? _Wait a minute_. If his life was on the line, would he trust the other Avengers to save him? What if something happened, in which they could simply bargain his life in exchange for peace? Would they do it? Though he wanted to say that they would never do such a thing, the realistic part of his mind questioned that.

"They all have a reason to hate me," he whispered. "Why did they choose to accept me?" Was this a trick? A sick joke? He, the god of lies and mischief, should be able to detect it. He knew that he could easily pull a trick even more elaborate than this. "The threat has passed. Will they simply cast me aside now that they have no more use of me?"

"Impossible to see, the future is," a new voice said. Loki whipped around to see the small green alien that had sat on the Jedi High Council. "Clear your mind, you must, if it is yourself you seek."

Loki blinked, stunned, then recovered by getting defensive. "What do you know?" he asked. "You know not of my past. You know not of my parentage. Who are you to walk in here and tell me how to 'find myself'? In fact, how did you even get here in the first place? I thought that all of the Jedi had arrived already."

Yoda chuckled. "So eager, you are, to seek answers to your questions. If open your mind, you do, then answer them yourself, you can."

"I do not have time for philosophy and ambiguity," Loki said impatiently. "I have better things to do."

"Like stand in front of a window and question your existence, hmm?" Yoda's intense green eyes seemed to see right through Loki, who had only felt this sensation from the Gatekeeper, Heimdall. It unsettled him.

"I would appreciate it if you stopped prying," he said. "My business is my business. I do not appreciate your interference, nor did I ask for it. If I needed or wanted your help, I would have requested it."

Yoda shook his head. "Much to learn, you have, about patience and honesty and trust."

"I trust no one but myself," Loki said stubbornly. "I am the only person that would not betray me."

"Oh? Then closed-minded, you are, Loki." Yoda took a few steps closer, using his gimer stick for support. "Crucial, it is, to put your faith in others. Only then will you alleviate your pain and anger and bitterness. Keeping it to yourself…only hurt you, it will."

This little guy was really getting on Loki's nerves. Who did he think he was? The wisest being in the realms? "Do you really think that my problems would just _melt away_ if I confide in you? It's not that simple!"

"But help you, I can."

"How?"

"Helped many, I have. When over eight hundred years old you are, much, you know. Though room for improvement, there always is. Much to learn, I have, though much, I have, to teach you."

"Can you please speak normally?" Loki begged. "You are difficult to follow."

Yoda laughed again. "Listen with your mind, you must. Always. If tell me your problems, you do, then help you, I may."

Loki turned toward the window again. "You may have lived over eight hundred years," he said, accepting this fact as if it was a trivial matter, "but I know that you would never understand the depths of my life." Yoda leaned forward, seemingly eager to hear what it was that Loki was referring to. "You try being the younger of two siblings, always wondering why the eldest was the favorite. You try finding out that your sibling isn't really your sibling, and your father isn't really your father!" He whirled around to face Yoda again. His voice rose. "You try being lied to your whole life, and _then_ tell me that you can help me!"

There was silence between them for several moments. Loki was breathing hard, his head spinning from the rant. He realized too late that he had had a slip of the tongue. Yoda had tricked him. He had used all the right words to get him to talk. He had fallen into the trap.

"Meditate on this, I will," Yoda said. "Alone time, you need. Leave you in peace, I will." He walked away slowly and made his way toward another room, where he could sit in silence and reflect.

Loki placed his head in his hands, completely lost. If Yoda breathed to a soul that he had expressed weakness…_sentiment_…then he would deny it. But who would they believe? A wise old Jedi Master, or the god of mischief? He had to get away, but how? Where? The Avengers would surely notice his absence and suspect that something was up.

"Loki," a voice whispered. Loki focused on making his expression neutral before turning to see who had addressed him. It was Anakin Skywalker. "Tell me—why do trust no one?"

"I will not let myself be hurt again," he said simply. "I will not give in to sentiment. It is not my nature to emote." This was a lie. He had emoted so many times that he was embarrassed to count. But that was the old Loki. The new one would never express his pain and suffering to others. He could not let himself feel the pain over again.

"Sit down," Anakin urged.

"I'd rather not."

"Very well, then. I'll come to you." Anakin walked over to stand beside the Asgardian. Both gazed out the window for a long time before Anakin spoke again. "You know, I get what you're feeling there." Before Loki could object, Anakin raised a hand. "Let me finish." Loki nodded for him to continue. "You struggle with the anxiety that the Avengers don't trust you. That they'll betray you at any time. Right?"

Loki narrowed his eyes. How did this man know what he was feeling?

"I'll take that as a yes. Anyway, believe it or not, you're not alone." He let out a sigh and looked into Loki's eyes. "The Jedi don't trust me any more than the Avengers trust you."

Loki shook his head. "Impossible. Did you try to take over an entire realm? Did you fight each and every one of them in battle? I think not."

"No, I didn't," Anakin agreed. "But the Jedi see something in me that they don't like, and they judge me for it. Ever since I was a boy, Yoda saw darkness and fear in me. That's the thing about Yoda; he always knows what you're thinking and feeling." He paused a moment. "Maybe I should go back further. You don't know this, but most Jedi are identified at a young age. They're brought to the Jedi Temple to be trained, and Yoda trains them before they receive mentors." Loki nodded. He did not see the significance in this, but he decided that he had nothing to lose at this point, and allowed Anakin to humor himself by continuing. "I was not like the other kids."

This got Loki's attention. "You weren't?" He thought back to his life as a child. He never understood why Thor was always in the spotlight. Every Asgardian youth wanted to play with him. All the girls would stare at him. He was the golden child, while Loki sat in the shadows, reading a book or watching the others train at a distance. He surrounded himself with knowledge, but it was not enough to get accepted. While the Warriors Three, Sif, and Thor would let him hang with them sometimes, he always had the feeling that he was disliked by his adoptive brother's friends. In fact, they downright hated him. He was not blind to this.

"No, I wasn't," Anakin said, seeming to see the memories in Loki's eyes. "I was a slave."

Loki was jerked out of his reminiscence immediately. "A what?"

"You heard me. For years, my mother and I served as slaves on a desert planet called Tattooine. Most Jedi do not know their parents, but I had an attachment to my mom." Loki knew how that felt. He had felt an attachment to Frigga all his life, and had been shattered to learn that she was not his real mother. "I was freed by a Jedi named Qui-Gon Jinn. He died soon after and, years later, I lost my mother, too." Anakin glared bitterly at the ground. "I couldn't save her."

Loki took a moment to drink this in, then asked, "Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because I see so much of myself in you. You're a great liar and you love to play tricks and take risks, yet—when it comes to your emotions—you are _afraid_ to take risks. You do not want to be hurt again. You know what it feels like to have everyone distrust you. You work so hard to earn that trust, but it's never good enough. You fear that your life is meaningless to everyone else."

Loki backed away. "How do you know this?" Anakin was putting his inner turmoil to words, which was a bit disturbing to say the least.

"Because I feel it, too," the Jedi Knight said simply. "I may never know how it feels to be the younger sibling, the one that is always second-best, but I see how you feel. I might as well be the adopted one, because I'm kind of the odd one out here. All the other Jedi had the same upbringing except for me. No, I'm not going to ask for your sympathy, nor am I going to start a sob-story session. But remember this: at least one person in this universe can relate to you." He turned and walked toward his room, then faced Loki again. "Think about it."

Loki did think about it. For the rest of the night, he thought about it. He was _still_ thinking about it when the sun rose. He kept his gaze fixed on the city, though he heard Tony Stark's approach before the man spoke. "You're up awfully early. Did you sleep at all?"

"Of course," Loki lied. "I fell asleep on the couch there." He knew that he would be caught if he claimed he had slept in the bed, considering it was completely untouched.

"Did you sleep _well_, though? That's the real question."

"Why would you think otherwise?"

Tony shrugged. "Just the fact that you seemed unwell last night. Thor was worried sick about you and I had to promise him that I'd force you to rest. Considering you typically do what you want, I didn't even try to keep that promise."

Mortals. Their lies are so trivial. "I see. Well, I'm fine, as you can very well notice."

Tony studied him. "You don't look so fine." He pushed a button, transforming the window into a mirror. "Look at yourself."

Loki did so. He was thinner and paler than usual, with dark circles under his eyes. He looked sick and tired and stressed all rolled into one. "It's the battle," he said, lying again. "It has taken a toll on me."

"I see that," Tony said. "Why don't you lie down?"

Loki did not want to lie down, though his body tried to tell him that it was for the best. _I have too much to think about to simply lie down_, he thought. _Oh no. If Thor saw me like this…_ If Thor saw him like that, he would surely fuss over him. That was the last thing he wanted. Attention. He did _not_ want to be the center of attention. "Please do not indicate your suspicions to Thor," he begged. "I cannot let him stress over me."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "You're a strange person, Loki," he said. "I can't quite figure you out. Maybe if I was a _Jedi_ I'd have more luck."

Loki snorted. "No one can figure me out," he said. Lie.

"Fair enough." Tony gestured toward the couch. "It won't bite, you know."

Reluctantly, Loki walked over to the couch and sat. When Tony still stared at him expectantly, he finally decided to humor the mortal and lie down. It felt good, though it did not ease the tension in his muscles, nor did it relax his thoughts.

"Was that so hard?" Loki wanted to wipe that smirk off of Stark's face, but he was too weary to do so. "I'll get you a drink or something. Are you hungry at all?"

"I'm—"

"If you say you're _fine_, then I'll hit you," Tony said, half-joking.

Loki tried a new approach. "Thank you for your hospitality, but right now, all I need is to be alone."

"That won't be easy, Princess," Tony remarked. "The rest of the gang should be up soon, and this is kind of the lounge area. If you want to be alone, you could go to that room over there." He gestured toward the room that he had offered Loki the previous night.

"Much appreciated." Loki pulled himself to his feet and was surprised to find how shaky he was. What was eating away at him to make him so…_weak_? Perhaps it was fear that—no. He refused to even consider that. It would only drive him to madness. _If I'm not already halfway there,_ he added silently. Maybe it was just the fact that he needed sustenance. "If you need me, I will be in there," he told Tony. Steeling himself, he made his way over to the room.

"Loki?"

_Damn._ Loki had bumped right into Thor. _Now_ things would get complicated. Cue the questions.

"Loki, what's going on?" Thor looked him up and down. "You look awful!"

"Thanks," Loki responded sarcastically. "Considering we just battled two armies, it's safe to say that you do not look so good yourself."

Thor waved a hand to indicate that it was not important. "I have battle wounds. They will heal. You have some, too, but that's not my concern right now. You look _sick_."

"If I look sick, then perhaps you should leave me _alone_," Loki shot back.

"We don't have time for arguments," Fury said, stepping out of his room. "Right now, we need to discuss the aftermath of the battle. Stark, have JARVIS wake the rest of them up. I think it's high-time we held this meeting. We've been putting it off for long enough."

Tony looked at the time. "Isn't it awfully early to be bothering a group that _just_ finished fighting a battle? Don't you think they need more time to rest? Come on; find your humanity."

Fury rolled his one eye. It looked rather amusing to Tony, who refrained from laughing by putting a finger contemplatively over his mouth. The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D did not miss this gesture. "Just get them up, Stark. They can rest after we deliberate our next move."

"Roger that. Hey, JARVIS! Get the gang up, will you? I've got pancakes!"

Loki and Thor were silent. The former was wondering why Midgardians did so much discussing and so little action. The latter was worried for his brother. Loki did not fail to notice this, and he kept Thor quiet with a warning glare.

Soon, everyone was gathered in the main area, eating pancakes and enjoying themselves. The prospect of eating made Loki's stomach churn uncomfortably, but he managed to force one down so as to not look suspicious. He hated to admit it, but he felt slightly better physically after eating. Perhaps the combination of lack of sleep and lack of sustenance were major contributors to his weakened state.

"Okay, team," Tony said, "what's the plan?"

"First of all, we need to make sure that the threat is completely gone," Steve said. "We also need to reassure the citizens that everything is safe now, which will come after the first course of action, in which we _ensure_ their safety." He paused thoughtfully. "Not to mention that the press will be all over us soon."

"I can handle them," Tony said. "You leave the publicity to me."

Fury narrowed his eye. "Do _not_ disclose our secrets, Stark," he warned.

"Moi? Did you really think I was going to—really, I—you—you don't trust me." He pretended to look hurt. "All joking aside, I do know how to deal with these people. It's an art that not all of you have mastered. Just trust me."

"Very well. I trust that you will not let us down in that area." Fury looked from one Avenger to another, and then at the Jedi. "Any thoughts?"

"Dooku escaped our grasp," Anakin said fiercely.

"That'll be a major blow to the Republic," Obi-Wan agreed. "We've got to find him, so we'll probably be departing from your planet soon. Once we know for sure that you are safe, we'll most likely be on our way."

Loki and Anakin did not have to look at each other to know that they were thinking the same thing. Who would they confide in now? Not that Loki _needed_ the Jedi Knight, per say, but it was nice to have him around.

"It's settled, then," Mace said. He glanced at Yoda, who nodded agreement. The ancient Jedi Master's gaze flickered briefly to Loki, which surprised Mace. "We'll do a sweep of your Milky Way galaxy to ensure that the threat is completely gone," the Korun continued, concealing his reaction to Yoda's surreptitious glance. "Once we're satisfied, we'll go back to the war that threatens our own galaxy."

Fury does not smile often, but he allowed the hint of one to show on his face. "Thank you, Master Windu. We are appreciative of your service and hope that an alliance between yourselves and our planet will be made possible. We also hope that your interference will not be needed here again."

Plo nodded. "We can hope," he said, "because we are strained enough as it is. We were pleased to aid you, however."

Fury was about to speak, but JARVIS disrupted his train of thought. "Sir, I have a message from the S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. Agent Maria Hill needs to speak with you, and wishes for your presence right away."

"I'm on my way." He turned to Natasha and Clint. "Could you two take over, please?" he requested.

"Of course," Barton said.

Fury nodded appreciatively and left for a helicopter transport. After he left, the group spent several minutes in silence, each feeling content to simply sit together. Everyone in the room was comfortable except for Loki, who was continuously on edge. He tried to hide it, though. He was good at that.

"Well, why don't we start by—" Steve began, but was interrupted by a bang on the door.

"Is Fury back already?" Natasha asked, confused. He had only been gone a few minutes.

Loki wasn't sure why, but he felt a sense of dread creeping up his spine at the sound. He stared at the door, half-expecting something sinister to be lingering behind it. _Please just be Fury,_ he silently begged. He hoped that it was the Director, coming back to pick something up that he'd forgotten, but, somehow, everything inside him said that that wasn't the case. Slowly, he stood up and eased behind the couch in case he had to bolt.

The bang came again. Before anyone could react, the door was kicked open. More like _smashed_. "Hey, what's the big idea?" Tony demanded. "Those are expensive, you know—"

A large figure stepped into the light. "My apologies," he said in an ominous voice.

Loki's eyes widened and he found himself backing away, his entire figure trembling in terror. One word escaped his lips; one word that paralyzed him with fear.

"_Thanos_."

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or the Avengers or a lot of the ideas that were in this chapter and will be in chapters to come.**

**AN: I'm so mean. So, I'd like to thank laureas for the idea of the interaction between Loki and Yoda. Also, laureas had the idea of Anakin and Loki confiding in each other. I'd also like to thank Novagon and Cassy27 for the idea of Thanos coming in. AaylaKit and 11SnowLeopard11 gave me another idea that will be present in my next chapter. Thanks, guys!**


	16. Loyalty or Betrayal?

**Okay, sorry about the cliffhanger. XD So many awesome reviews and so much time to write that I decided to update early! Anyway, I'm not a comic book master. In fact, I haven't read any. So, instead of consulting endless comics, I did some research on Thanos's powers. Epic win for Google. I'll continuously try to get his personality right. So, any powers that are demonstrated in this fic are backed up by a website that I will do a disclaimer for at the bottom.**

**Tiger of the Storm: Yup, that's Yoda for you! :D He even got _Loki_ to talk, and that's a pretty big accomplishment in itself.**

**Pergjithshme: That was a review on Chapter 14, right? Have you read chapter 15 yet? This is Chapter 16. Haha I love long reviews. They let me know thoroughly what I did right and what I need to improve on, so thanks!**

**laureas: Oh, I know. I'm so excited about the story's continuation!**

**NARUTO SON OF ARTEMIS: I wish I knew Ahsoka's fate, but alas, the world has yet to see Season 5. Bahaha I like the mental image there. "TANK MISSILE!" indeed. XD**

**Raychaell Dionzeros: I know, right! I'm on the edge of my seat here…and I'm the _writer_!**

**Irish-Brigid: Yeah, poor Loki. Remember what the Other said. Basically, Loki can run, but he cannot hide. And yes, I give laureas credit for the Yoda thing. She thought up the fact that Yoda would try to counsel him and he would react with irritation.**

**JapanRules555: The name sounds familiar…**

**FutureOscarWinner94: Thanks! I owe that part to laureas. Twas her idea to make Loki and Anakin connect like that.**

**AaylaKit: Boba's epicness shall begin. :) As far as Loki goes, I have a plan. It may seem bleak at first, but my idea will reveal itself in time.**

**Cassy27: Yeah, it's a strategy that I didn't even realize I was using: intense battle followed by a bit of down time followed by…well…this chapter right here.**

**Ptroxsora: That's great! Loki would probably appreciate any help he can get at this point…**

* * *

Nick Fury got off the helicopter about a mile away from S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. He felt that it was better to walk for a bit to clear his mind and keep people from tracking him. Somehow, it felt more…logical to just walk the rest of the way. He was the hardcore Director of a government agency. He was in no need of exercise, though it was nice to take some time away from his duties. It would not be much time, he told himself, so it was completely okay to do this.

He was about half a mile away from his destination when a sound behind him made him stop in his tracks. He turned around, but nothing was there. "Who's there?" he demanded, placing a hand on his belt.

"Your assassin has arrived," a cold voice responded. "Did you think for one second that I would not avenge him?"

The use of the word "avenge" was strangely ironic. "Reveal yourself," Fury ordered.

"Very well." A figure stepped out from behind a tree. Since it was broad daylight, it was easy to see the eleven-year-old boy dressed in long reddish pants tucked into boots and a long red shirt with a blue sleeveless vest over it. He also had a belt around his middle with weapons of various types in it. "Didn't think you'd see _me_ again, did you?" The boy studied him a moment. "Why do you have an eyepatch? Who hurt you? That's_ my_ job! Dammit, it was my lifelong dream to give you an eyepatch before I killed you."

Fury's frown deepened. "Should I know who you are?" He did not want to harm a young boy, but that was some pretty advanced weaponry for an eleven-year-old.

The anger in the boy's face grew more apparent. "How dare you mock me! Did you really forget what you have done already?" He took a threatening step forward, though it was hardly threatening considering Fury had him in height and weight. "Does _Jango Fett_ ring a bell?" he persisted.

"Should it?" Fury tried to conceal his confusion. He was not good with kids, but he had to be patient—and careful—with this one, so as to prevent a rampage. "Is that your name?"

The boy continued to glare at him. "Did you really forget who I am that quickly? I never forgot your name, _Mace Windu_."

Understanding dawned on Fury. This boy was from the universe that the Jedi had come from. He was angry with Windu for some reason, and mistakenly targeted him instead. "What is your name?" he asked carefully, hoping to keep the boy from firing any weapons upon him. The S.H.I.E.L.D Director surreptitiously pushed the panic button on his belt.

The boy stood up taller and his face grew more menacing. "Hello. My name is Boba Fett. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

Fury lifted his hands to indicate that he meant no harm. "Hello," he responded slowly, "I am Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D government agency. You are mistaken, and I have no intention of hurting you if you back down."

Boba did not buy it. "Did someone wipe your mind, Mace?" he asked. "Where is your lightsaber?"

"I do not have one. Check me if you wish, but do not try anything foolish."

Boba studied Fury's belt and saw that he was indeed telling the truth. "I have been informed that Mace Windu is here. If you are not him, then where is he?"

Before Fury could respond, about a hundred S.H.I.E.L.D agents surrounded them. Maria Hill walked up to Fury and said, "The backup is here. Where is the threat?"

Fury gestured toward the boy. "He is from the Jedi's galaxy," he said. "Take him for questioning. He claims to be after Master Mace Windu and intends to assassinate him." Boba immediately raised a weapon that Fury did not recognize. "Lower your weapon, Fett," Fury ordered.

"You are making a terrible mistake," Boba spat. "If you are wise, you will take me to Windu so that I can finish him myself."

"Take him away," Fury ordered.

The agents attacked him, though Boba put up quite a fight. Twenty died and ten were injured, but the superior numbers managed to overpower the young bounty hunter in the end. Boba glared mutinously at Fury as his hands were cuffed behind his back. Mentally, he put Mace Windu's look-alike on his hate list. That man would pay the same way that Windu will pay. In the meantime, though, all he could do was comply.

* * *

"_Thanos_." Loki's entire body quivered and his skin paled even more, if that was possible. "He has come for me," he whispered.

Tony leaned toward Natasha and whispered, "Do _you_ know what Loki's talking about?"

She shook her head. "No clue."

The large titan stood where he was, taking in the room. When his gaze fell upon Loki, a sick grin formed on his face. "I have come to take what is rightfully mine," he boomed. "The Tesseract and Laufeyson belong to me."

Loki turned fearful eyes to Thor, who had edged unconsciously toward his brother. "Thor…" He could not put his terror to words.

"Who is this, Loki?" Thor asked.

Thanos's grin widened. "Why don't you tell them, Asgardian?" he pressed.

"I—I—" Loki's voice shook with dread. He took a deep breath and swallowed nervously. "We made a bargain," he said at last, trying to calm himself to the best of his ability. "He promised me an army in exchange for the Tesseract."

"What else?" Thanos prompted, relishing in the moment.

"The Other spoke for him. He said…'If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can't find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain.' _He_ is Thanos, the titan standing before you now." Loki looked painfully at Thor. "I told you that I should not be here. That I should have run far away, where I could not put any of you in danger. Now it's too late. He will unleash his anger on the entire realm."

Thor's expression had become increasingly shocked the more Loki spoke. "Brother, what have you _done_? Do you _realize_ what you've brought upon the realms? Upon yourself?"

Loki grew defensive. He would not admit that he had been a fool—not even to himself. "I didn't exactly expect to _lose_ the battle, Thor," he pointed out sarcastically. He had assumed from the beginning that he would seize the Tesseract easily from the puny Midgardians, and that the battle would be short and glorious. Never did he consider what would happen if he _failed_.

Thanos was getting aggravated. He usually liked to sit back and strategize, making others do the dirty work for him. That did not mean that he didn't enjoy a good fight, though, and he had walked in with the full expectation of combat. Despite his cruel nature, he had decided to step in with an offer. Considering the conversation directly in front of him was getting nowhere, he interjected. "I did not come here to listen to you feeble little beings discuss the past. As I stated before; I came for what is mine. If you do not give it to me, expect a fight." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "It will not end well for you."

The Avengers exchanged glances amongst themselves. The Jedi were tense and ready for battle, though Thanos did not seem to acknowledge their presence. Thor spoke first. "The Tesseract is not here. It is no longer in our hands."

Thanos balled his hands into fists. Loki could see the irritation in the gesture. "I did not _say_ you had to have it _with you_," the titan roared. He let out a breath, trying to keep from lashing out, which was very tempting considering the lack of open-mindedness in the room. "I care not _how_ you bring it to me. Just do it and be quick about it. One of the things I seek is standing at the back of the room. Hand him over to me, and I will give you more time to bring me the Tesseract."

This was a difficult decision for the Avengers, and Loki knew it. One option would be to defend him, in which Thanos would unleash his fury and potentially kill them all. The other option would be to hand Loki over, thus pacifying the titan long enough to form a plan. Loki could easily see the wheels turning in everyone's minds. He did not like it. Why were they hesitating? The very fact that they had to think this over was unnerving.

"I grow impatient," Thanos said.

"So…wait. If we give Loki to you, you'll give us some time to bring you the Tesseract." Tony's voice was slow, calculating, and contemplative. Completely unlike him.

"Did I not say that?" Thanos boomed.

"Right. Just making sure." Tony lifted an index finger. "Can we have a private Avengers huddle for a sec?"

Thanos sighed. He was through being merciful. "Give me your answer, or die."

"Harsh," Tony mumbled.

Loki's gaze flickered around the room. His fate lay in the hands of his old enemies. How reassuring. He turned his gaze to Thor. "Thor, you wouldn't even consider this, would you?" he whispered.

Thor felt like he had the weight of the realms on his shoulders. It would be best for the universe if he handed Loki over now, so that they could all plot out ways to defeat Thanos. But he had promised his brother that he would take care of him. Loki had stuck his neck out for the Avengers and Midgard. How could he betray him? "How can you ask me to choose between you and the well-being of the universe?" he whispered quietly enough that Thanos wouldn't hear. He didn't want the titan to suspect that they would use the time to plot his defeat.

"_He_ is asking you," Loki replied. "Do not make me look like the monster here." Loki, for once in his life, was the victim. He hated it so much that he felt like he would vomit.

"Please give us a moment," Steve said.

Thanos was growing very tired of these silly little mortals. He wanted to break every one of their necks, but they were the only means of getting the Tesseract to him. So, he would force himself to be patient. "You may have a moment," he relented at last, "but no longer."

"Thank you." Steve ushered everyone into another room. "Loki, I don't think you should listen in on this—" he began.

"Loki has the right to know his own fate," Thor objected.

Steve wanted to challenge him on that, considering the god of mischief would probably not like the outcome, but he figured it was a losing battle that he could not afford to waste time over. "Everyone, go in there."

"Don't tear up my tower while we're debating," Tony said sharply to Thanos.

"I will refrain," Thanos said, grinning evilly.

Once the Avengers were out of the titan's hearing range, Tony clapped his hands together and said, "Okay, we've got a situation here. Should he stay or should he go?"

"This is no time for jokes, Stark," Natasha said. "Lives are on the line. What we decide now could decide the fate of the universe."

"Whoa. No pressure or anything." Tony sat down, taking this in.

"Here's the cold hard truth," Barton said. "If we hand Loki over, we get the chance to plan our attack. If we do not, Thanos will kill us all, capture Loki, and torture him until he relents and hands over the Tesseract. Either way, it looks bleak for Loki. Option two would guarantee him the Tesseract because, considering we would be _dead_, we would not be able to fight him off."

"What about the Jedi? Could they possibly fight Thanos off?" Banner suggested.

"We could try," Obi-Wan said.

"No, Obi-Wan. Remember what I taught you; do, or do not. There is no try," Yoda said sternly.

"I for one think we should defend Loki," Anakin said boldly. "We're powerful enough to take that guy out, right? We've got the Force, super awesome weapons, a dude in an iron suit, a super soldier, master assassins, a guy that can transform into a green rage monster, and two gods. I think we're more than capable of putting up a good fight."

Loki shook his head. "It doesn't matter," he said. "You do not know of Thanos's power. He has the durability to withstand almost anything, strength far beyond that of Mjolnir, unlimited stamina in which he can never grow tired, faster reflexes than your average mortal…" He paused, thinking. "He also has mental powers. He can transport his mind as I can. He has the power of telepathy, force shields, and energy beams. He once turned someone to _stone_. He knows how to play with your weaknesses in combat. He is no force to take lightly."

"He can turn someone to _stone_? Damn." Tony shook his head, then glanced at the door. "I think we're running out of time here, gang. If only Fury was here. He would know what to do."

"Well, he's not, so shall we reach a decision, then?" Banner asked.

"We have to. He'll bust the door down any minute now," Tony said. "We can't stall much longer."

Anakin took out his weapon. "Let him come."

"No, Anakin, be reasonable," Obi-Wan said. "There's nothing we can do."

"You're just going to let him die, then?" Anakin challenged. He stared his former Master straight in the eye. "If I was the one Thanos wanted, would you let him take me?" he demanded harshly.

Pain entered Obi-Wan's eyes. He knew that he would have to, given the situation, because it would be for the good of the universe. Anakin must know that sacrifices must be made for the commonwealth. "I am not in that situation, so I will not discuss what-ifs, Anakin."

Anakin glared mutinously around the room. "I won't let you hand him over." He turned to Thor. "Support me on this."

Things were getting pretty tight for Thor. He had to consider Asgard for a moment. Agent Barton had been right. If they didn't give Loki up, he'd be tortured into bringing the Tesseract to Thanos. The universe—including Asgard—would be doomed to fall under the titan's rule. "I think that you know not what our actions could unleash," he said carefully.

Loki faced Thor, shocked, but was not given the chance to react before the door was kicked down.

"You could knock," Tony said. "That was just rude and inconsiderate."

"Stark, please," Natasha whispered, nudging him.

"Just saying," Tony mumbled.

"You have had enough time," Thanos growled. "Give me your answer now."

Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. No one spoke, but almost everyone was in agreement. Barton was the first one to step away to the other side of the bedroom. Natasha followed him, putting a reassuring hand on his arm. Steve joined them, followed by Tony and Banner. All of the Jedi except Anakin and Obi-Wan did the same. The Jedi Master placed a hand on his former padawan's shoulder and tugged lightly, urging Anakin to come with him. Anakin relented, glaring angrily at the floor. He would not meet the others' eyes for fear of what he would see there. All that remained in the middle of the room were Thor and Loki.

"Step aside, god of thunder," Thanos said. "Be wise like your friends over there."

Thor faced Loki and gripped his brother's shoulders. "I don't know what to say."

"Thor…" Loki's eyes were watering. "Don't let him take me. Please…"

Thor pulled him into a hug. For once, he was unpredictable. Loki did not know what the hug meant: loyalty or betrayal. He would find out soon. Thor's voice whispered in his ear, "I love you, brother." He stood up, and Loki saw tears in his eyes. "Forgive me." He backed away to stand in front of the group.

Loki felt his stomach drop. They were truly abandoning him. He could not grasp this, yet it seemed so…expected. He watched numbly as Thanos walked forward and stretched out a hand to grab him by the neck.

Seconds before the hand closed, Loki edged backward and bolted to the back of the room, pressing himself against the wall. "Please!" he begged. "Thor, don't let him do this!"

Thor said nothing. He was too choked up by pain to speak.

Thanos cornered Loki, grinning maliciously, and seized him by the arm. As he dragged him away, Loki pled once more.

"_Brother_!" He struggled out of Thanos's loose grip and fell to his knees before Thor. "Brother, no! Don't let him take me! I'll do anything—I swear! I swear by the All-Father's name that I'll do anything you want!"

Thanos had felt a sense of satisfaction in seeing Loki cry out in such a manner, but the time for playing was over. In one swift motion, he grabbed the god by the back of the neck and pulled him away once more.

The last thing they heard was Loki crying, "_Brother_!" And then there was silence.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the knowledge of Thanos's powers. I researched them from a website called "Thanos: The Mad Titan." The article explained all of his powers that are known for sure, and a few that are theorized. I kept the fic limited to those that are known to be true. I also do not own the Marvel Avengers Universe, or the Star Wars Universe. I ALSO do not own the Princess Bride reference. Thumbs up to everyone who caught that. Actually, my sister, random-fan803, used that reference with Boba Fett and Windu in her fic. She gave me permision to use it.**

**AN: That was the hardest chapter I have ever written. I kept on wanting to stall because I had no idea what to do. Then, I realized what I **_**had**_** to do, even though it is painful to me and all of you. Please give me your feedback, as it is much appreciated and urges me to update quicker. I **_**know**_** you guys want to see the next update, considering the way this chapter ended… O_O**


	17. Plotting and Bravery

**Wow, I'm going to update in the late afternoon more often! So many reviews came my way that I was overwhelmed with joy and excitement. Some of it might have to do with the fact that the chapter ended on such an intense level…Man, my poor Loki! I almost cried as I wrote it, but I knew that it had to be done. It would've been too predictable if the Avengers simply fought Thanos off. Gotta make it interesting and realistic. Plus, I knew I could further the fic longer if Thanos took Loki. So, there's a method to my madness. Disclaimer at the bottom, as always. I would like to thank laureas for all of her help! I'll describe it more at the end.**

**The Rose Red Alchemist: Sounds like a good idea that I will consider. What names do you have in mind? I can't do the actors, because that's against Fanfiction rules and regulations and all that…**

**laureas: Anakin shall put up quite a fight, I assure you, considering you came up with a lot of it yourself! :D**

**AaylaKit: Boba will be back. I was so worried that I wouldn't get his character right! Your review made me so happy! And yeah, LOKI…! *cries* I have plans, don't worry.**

**chris: Yeah, I read that Thanos is a titan and he is indeed more powerful than the gods. When I read his powers, I was like, "Whoa. How're the Avengers going to get out of _this_ mess?" Then a plan hit me. You shall soon see it unfold.**

**Ayy Kaim: Shawarma. Haha Tony. I'll bring that in somewhere when things die down. So glad you liked Boba. And yeah…as I told your sister, I have plans, I promise. Still…*sobs* Loki… :'(**

**FutureOscarWinner94: Definitely the hardest thing I have ever written. I had to capture everything _just right_ and it was almost unbearable to write out Loki's pain and terror.**

**Guest: I have a plan. Everything I do at this point has a purpose and is thought out to the best of my ability. Haha, I loved doing the Boba line. It was fun.**

**Guest2: I know, right! Keep your eyes open, cuz things might get ugly…**

**Cassy27: You totally called how I planned to portray Loki. Nice one! :D**

**11SnowLeopard11: Yeah, got the reference like a boss. XD**

**CupcakeLovinGirl: You have no idea how much that made my day! I've gotten a lot of positive feedback, but never has anyone told me that my fic is their favorite. Thank you! I will keep you in mind every time I update. :) Ah, I just got your latest review. In response, I say yes, one other person recommended that. In my eyes, I see that, if more than one person shares the same idea, then it must be a good one and I will use it. So, though it isn't in _this_ particular chapter, I have an idea of where to put it. Thanks!**

**Raychaell Dionzeros: Ask, and you shall receive! :)**

* * *

The silence threatened to overwhelm them. Anakin, who had been forcing himself to refrain from commenting, finally shouted, "Cowards! You're all cowards! He _trusted_ you and you turn around and handed him over to a fate worse than death! Yes, I sensed his intentions, and they were, to say the least, _not good_." He was growing so angry that he didn't even notice or care about the presence of the Jedi Council members in the room. "You sicken me—_all_ of you! You told him that he was one of you—an Avenger—and you turn your back on him when things get rough!"

"Watch your tongue, Jedi!" Thor thundered. "Loki is my brother, and—"

Anakin stopped him midsentence by lifting him in the air with the Force and throwing him against the wall. Thor was too dazed to move, but he heard the Jedi Knight's next words clearly. "You have _no_ right to call him your brother after what you've done! _He_ called you _brother_, and you turned away. He shouldn't have had to reduce to falling to his knees and begging for you to save him. He shouldn't have _needed_ to tell you that he'd do anything for you. You should have helped him even if he had nothing to offer!"

"Anakin, this isn't our fight," Obi-Wan whispered warningly, trying to soothe his former padawan.

"I'm _making_ it my fight," Anakin said stubbornly. "You do what you want, but I won't let Loki end up facing this alone. Not when I know exactly what he's going through." He shot a scathing glance at the rest of the Council as he left the room.

Ahsoka followed. "I'm right behind you, Master," she said.

Silence followed. The Council members knew exactly what Anakin had been referring to. It was no secret that no one trusted him. Everyone knew that the Jedi Knight was different and that he had pains of his own that no one could possibly understand.

Thor pulled himself away from the wall and fell to his knees. Tony kept quiet, though he would normally comment on the broken wall. "What have I done?" Thor whispered. "My brother…What have I _done_?"

"It's okay, Thor—" Natasha began.

"No, it's _not_ okay! I betrayed my own brother! I _swore_ to protect him, and I just…_stood there_ while that monster dragged him away! Don't you understand?" Thor's voice fell to a whisper. "He cried for _me_. He called me _brother_. He was desperately begging for my help, and what did I do?"

"You made a sacrifice for the good of the universe," Barton responded. "Do not blame yourself. We all betrayed Loki today."

Thor shook his head, anguished. He could not get the image of his brother out of his head. The pleading, the watering eyes, the desperation…The god of thunder could still see it as clearly as if Loki was in the room now. Finally, Thor stood up and picked up his hammer. "I'm going with Anakin," he said.

"What? Thor's that's—" Natasha began.

"Do _not_ say 'madness'! Loki is an Avenger, and he needs us now."

"But we've got to make a plan of attack!" Steve objected. "We can't just _attack_ this guy. We need a strategy, and I know that Fury could be of help to us if we contact him." He glanced around and lowered his voice. "Even if we can't plan in time to save Loki, we could at least find a way to defeat Thanos with the time he gave us."

Thor glared at him. "I can't believe we've given up! If it had been me that Thanos was after, would you let him take me? If it had been _any_ one of us, would everyone just abandon them?"

Natasha chose her words carefully. "If it had been any one of us, it would have been for the best if that person was given up for the good of the universe. Said person must understand that."

"So you were expecting Loki to willingly give himself up?" Thor asked hollowly. "You all know full well that we'd be more inclined to give Loki up than anyone else on the team, just because of his past."

"We'll try to save your brother, Thor," Natasha said gently. "If you come with us to the main area, you can help us plan out a way to do so. If we're successful, we can save the universe _and_ Loki from destruction."

"If we're not too late," Banner muttered grimly.

"We won't be if we act quickly," Steve said. "Let's contact Fury now."

"You can contact anyone you like," Thor said. "I'm leaving now." He stormed out of the room and rushed outside to Anakin, who was preparing his ship. "Skywalker, is there room in one of your transports for one more?"

Anakin sized him up skeptically. "Do you really think that coming with me will change what you've done?"

Thor shook his head. "No, it won't. But clearing my conscience doesn't matter at this point. All that is important is saving my broth—sorry, _Loki_—from, as you said, a fate worse than death."

"Good answer. Let's go."

"Do you have a plan?" Thor asked.

Anakin shook his head. "Stealth—and possibly a surprise attack—are all we have on our side right now."

Thor thought a moment, and then it hit him. "No—I have a better idea!" He walked out into the middle of the street. Since there were no people in the city, it was easier to move around. "Heimdall!" he shouted. "I know you are watching this! Send someone here with the Tesseract!"

Anakin raised a questioning eyebrow. "Are you suggesting we go straight to Thanos using that? We could always use my ship, you know, so we don't have what the titan wants right in our grasp…" He couldn't understand where Thor was going with this. It was sheer madness to use the Tesseract to transport to Loki's location. Thanos would surely go after it, making it more difficult to fight him.

"Trust me," Thor said. "I know what I am doing."

* * *

"So what do we do now?" Tony asked.

"We need to contact Fury," Banner said, "so we can form a plan and help Anakin, Ahsoka, and Thor."

"Sir, we're getting a transmission from Director Nick Fury," JARVIS said. "Shall I send it through the speakers?"

Tony smiled despite the situation. "That was easy. Go for it, JARVIS."

Fury's voice blared throughout the room. "I've encountered a problem on my way to headquarters," he announced. "Are any of the Jedi acquainted with a Boba Fett?"

Mace spoke up. "Yes. His father was the bounty hunter called Jango Fett. I killed him in a battle on Geonosis. Is he here now?"

"Yes. We have him contained, but I plan to bring him over there for questioning. I contacted you to let you know that we are on our way. Status report," he ordered without warning.

Everyone hesitated. "Um…well…we've got a situation," Natasha said.

"Get here as fast as you can," Steve said urgently. "Loki has been taken away by the angry Chitauri leader."

"What? But the Other—"

"—was a speaker for the titan called Thanos," Banner filled in.

"We will tell you everything when you arrive," Barton assured him. "Please hurry."

"I will be there in a matter of minutes. Fury out."

* * *

Thanos piloted the ship at a leisurely pace. He had been waiting for this day for a long time, so he might as well revel in it. Loki was next to him, feet bound, hands cuffed behind his back, and mouth gagged. He sat very still, defiance reflected in his deep green eyes. The titan glanced over at his copilot, grinning sinisterly. "It's a shame that your friends abandoned you without even lifting a finger to stop me," he said, cackling evilly.

_They are not my friends_, Loki thought bitterly.

"You look like you have something to say," Thanos said smoothly. "Why don't you say it? Humor me, god of mischief." He pulled the gag off of Loki. "How do you feel about your friends now? Not so glad that you helped them defend the Earth from the invasion now, are you?"

"They are _not_ my friends," Loki spat, repeating his earlier thought.

"So, you don't even expect them to come and attempt to rescue you, do you? Even after you risked everything in keeping the Tesseract from the Other," Thanos taunted, wanting to provoke the Asgardian further. Loki shook his head. He would not speak anymore. He would not give the titan the satisfaction. "I asked you a _question_!" Thanos roared. He slapped Loki hard in the side of the face.

Normally, simple blows like that one would not damage Loki too badly. It would sting a little for a couple of minutes, then fade away. However, when Thanos struck him, he saw stars dance before his vision. The titan was demonstrating a snippet of his true strength, and it made Loki dizzy. "No," he choked out at last. "I do not expect them to rescue me."

"I didn't think so." The ship landed on a barren moon, where a familiar figure stood waiting. "Meet my ally." He yanked Loki out of the ship and threw him down in front of the cloaked figure. "We have a visitor, Count."

Count Dooku put his hood down to reveal his battle-worn face. "What have we here?" he asked, putting a finger under Loki's chin and tilting it up. "How much blood did you have to spill to get him here?"

"None. The Avengers and Jedi were strangely…willing…to give this one up. I told them that I was there to claim what is mine, and that I would give them time to bring the Tesseract if they handed Laufeyson over to me. They complied without a fight."

Dooku nodded. "Remember our agreement."

Thanos tensed in anger. "Remember _your_ place. You are beneath me, and you always will be. I recall the conversation we exchanged. I will kill the Avengers as soon as they hand the Tesseract to me. I will then keep my promise to you, in which I will destroy the Republic that opposes you."

What he did not say, Loki noted, was that he would support the Separatists in the war. Thanos had very carefully chosen his words. He had said, "I will destroy the Republic that opposes you." He didn't say he wouldn't destroy the Separatists as well. Loki had a feeling that the titan would double-cross his alleged ally. The Asgardian considered warning the Count, but what was the point? They were both on his hate list. In fact, so were the Avengers. He quickly realized that he didn't _care_ if Thanos killed them all after taking the Tesseract. It would serve them right. They deserved the fate that they had tossed him into. At least their deaths would happen quickly. Loki had no way of knowing how long he would be kept alive, silently begging for his death.

"Very well," Dooku said. "I thank you in advance, and I hope you know what you are doing. The Avengers could easily be tricking you into thinking that they will use the offered time to get the Tesseract for you."

"Do you think I have not considered that? I will be ready for them if they choose to attack. We will kill them all on the spot."

"How will you get the Tesseract, then?" Dooku wondered.

Thanos nodded toward Loki. "The Avengers will die, but he will remain. He will be the key to getting the cube. I will make sure of it." His gaze bore into Loki, who flinched unconsciously. "You cannot possibly imagine," he told Dooku, "the pain that this one will face for the rest of his miserable life."

Dooku dipped his head. "I sense that your power will be demonstrated to the fullest here. I am grateful for your alliance with me."

Loki was pretty certain that Thanos found Dooku about as puny and worthless as a mortal. However, the Sith Lord had invaded Earth for him. Perhaps this was a way of pretending to pay him back. By forming a fake alliance. Dooku had no idea what he was getting himself into.

"If you would excuse me, Tyranus, I have much to do," Thanos dismissed him. Dooku nodded and walked back to his own ship, where he would do who knows what. The titan faced Loki once more. "Do not think that you have been forgotten."

"Of course not," Loki said stiffly. He was being awfully bold for someone who was about to endure a fate worse than death.

The restraints dropped from Loki's hands and legs. "These will only get in my way," Thanos explained.

"We wouldn't want that, would we?" Loki asked, quick-witted as ever.

Thanos, enraged at Loki's outwardly calm demeanor, blasted him with an infrared beam so powerful that it sent him flying backward. The Asgardian gasped in pain, searching for knowledge of any kind on infrared radiation. He knew that it was safe to be exposed to it naturally, but when concentrated into a powerful beam…He looked down at his chest, where the blast had hit. _That_ looked like a pretty serious burn. Loki preferred the cold, so having such an intensity of heat hit his body was more than uncomfortable for him.

"That was the…_warm-up_," Thanos sneered, laughing at his own joke. "Are you ready for round two?"

* * *

"Thor, what is it? Heimdall said you needed the Tesseract urgently, but he would not explain why," Sif said without a greeting. She held the object in question in her right hand.

"I do not have time to explain," Thor replied. "Grab onto me, Anakin. Ahsoka, take Sif's arm. We're going to Asgard."

"Thor, stop!" Fury shouted, but it was too late. Light flashed and took them away before the Director could do anything about it. He hated the fact that he did not have Thor and Anakin to help plot Thanos's downfall, but he would not lament over what he could not have. They had to think up a plan quickly, before the two Jedi and Thor would meet their end. Quickly, he went back inside, where he had left Boba in the hands of the Council.

Boba was glaring at Mace when Fury arrived. "So, you _don't_ have an eyepatch," the bounty hunter scowled. "Good. Let me give you reason to have one _right now_!" He struggled against the restraints. "No, scratch that. You won't _need_ an eyepatch because it would be a waste of time to put one on a _dead body_!"

"Calm yourself," Yoda said, waving a hand.

Boba was not weak-minded, but that was not a mind trick. Yoda was using the Force to relax the nerves in the boy's body. Though he fought it, Boba relaxed a bit. He was still angry, however. "Why don't you give me that lightsaber of yours, Windu?" he asked. "Make this a fair fight in which I behead you and everyone else stands by and panics." His hard gaze held a hint of pain. "You certainly didn't seem to mind my _father_ having his head taken off."

"The death of your father was necessary," Mace said. He understood, though, how bad his action was, no matter how much good it had done. He had taken a boy's father away from him and, as a result, created a bitter monster. _No, _he thought. _The boy was already corrupted by his father's teachings._ Jango wasn't even his father at all. Boba was a young clone of him. _He was raised by a monster, so he would've become a monster anyway, whether I killed the bounty hunter or not._

While Mace contemplated this, Fury paced the room. "There's no time to settle old scores right now," he said. "I brought Boba here to be questioned, but clearly there are other obligations we must uphold." He glanced around the room. "While difficult, I feel that what you did to Loki had a good reason behind it. Do not feel guilty. We must act."

"What's the plan, Director?" Natasha asked.

"We need to take him by surprise," Fury said contemplatively, "and it has to be fast. I saw Thor, Anakin, Ahsoka, and a female Asgardian transporting away with the Tesseract. I have reason to believe that they're going straight to Thanos now to fight him off, which is a stupid-ass move considering the Tesseract is what the titan is after. It'll fall right into his hands."

"What should we do, then?" Barton wondered.

"I say we suit up," Tony suggested. "I don't care what Loki said. Sure, Thanos has cosmic powers. But _we_ have a Hulk."

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or the Avengers, first of all. Secondly, I don't own a lot of Anakin's dialogue at the very beginning. A wonderful person named laureas gave me the idea and even wrote a lot of it out herself as a suggestion and was kind enough to let me use it. For that, she has earned the AWESOMENESS STATUS!**

**AN: Lots of elaborate schemes here, eh? Thanks for all the reviews, and I hope all of you will continue to support me in the journey that this fic has created. More is definitely to come, thanks to a lot of you. I am grateful for the ideas given to me that keep this fic going. Before long, it will have had more reviews than my first fic, **_**Pwning and Gaming**_**, which is pretty impressive. **_**Invasion**_** already has more Alerts. Though the favorites and views are not as high, I still feel that this is my best work yet. Keep the feedback coming and I will keep the writing coming.**


	18. Unmade

**Okay, guys! On Sunday, I'm going to visit my super-awesome grandparents. I intend to bring my laptop with me, but I want to make sure you all know that I won't be sitting on Fanfiction the whole day, so I probably won't update on a daily basis after Sunday. I'll do daily updates this week if I can, but I might not be able to once I get there. Anyways, on to the story!**

**laureas: I haven't seen Season 4, but I've seen the Season 4 Finale. Yeah, I saw a lot of them out of order. I'm trying to find a way to see them all in order, but it's not easy. I already have a plan, but I like the concept of Obi-Wan breaking away from the typical Council-follower. Keep your eyes out for that.**

**The Rose Red Alchemist: I don't quite know where to put that in as of now. I'm considering it, I promise, but I don't know how to implement it into the flow of the story. I like it a lot, and Ayy has a point. I applaud you for your knowledge. :D Your idea is written down in my skeletal idea word document thingy. That's where I put all the ideas that I plan to use, but haven't found a place for yet. Ayy Kaim is pretty awesome, isn't she? ;D**

**Ayy Kaim: Yeah, Mace is Mace. Though my sister loves him, I never really did. Fury would probably forbid Natasha from becoming friends with Boba, but they might sneak a conversation. ;) I have a pretty hilarious idea for the meeting of Padmé and Jane. Once things die down a bit…you'll love it, I promise.**

**AaylaKit: This is the chapter where the big things happen. Boba will be seen more soon, though not this one, since none of this takes place on Earth. He will be back! All hope is not lost for Loki. Fear not and read on. :D**

**Cassy27: Dang, that was awesome! Wow, you had me sucked into that storyline there. Brilliant! No wonder I like your stories so much. I totally remade the chapter and used that idea because it's much better than my original one.**

**CupcakeLovinGirl: I am very grateful for that, thank you! I promise that I will write this story all the way to the end. I've finished four others, so I have proven dependable when it comes to finishing stories. :)**

**Novagon: That'd be cool, but I already had Chapter 18 written out when I received your review.**

**FutureOscarWinner94: I assure you that this will go in unexpected directions.**

**NARUTO SON OF ARTEMIS: If you did, I'd read it. ;) I recommend that you wait until I finish the story first, of course. I'm not sure when that will be, but it'll be before the summer ends for sure. I have a deadline and I will meet it easily.**

**Raychaell Dionzeros: Thanks! You'll have to find out. ;)**

* * *

Thor, Sif, Ahsoka, and Anakin appeared on Asgard. The majestic realm surprised the Jedi. It took Ahsoka's breath away and even Anakin, who had seen a lot in his lifetime, was awed.

"I'm still extraordinarily angry with you for abandoning Loki," Anakin informed Thor, "but I've got to admit that your planet is pretty amazing." He took a few moments to look around, then realized that the time he spent marveling was also spent by Loki being tortured to death. He shook his head vigorously, trying to get his head back in the game. "We don't have time to sight-see. The more we dawdle, the worse things will get for Loki. What's your plan, Thor?"

"We need to speak with the All-Father," Thor answered.

Ahsoka's eyes widened even more, if that was possible. "Your father?" she asked. "The ruler of this realm?"

"The very same," Thor said, smiling. "He is one of the most powerful beings in the Nine Realms. He is a wise king and an amazing father. I know he will help us."

"So that's your plan? Ask your dad for help?" Anakin asked.

When it was put that way, it sounded rather silly. "No," Thor said. "The plan involves the Tesseract. Hold it tightly, Sif. We'll need it later."

"Of course," she said, "though I still do not know what's going on."

"You have come to help Loki," Heimdall's deep voice said, making the four of them turn around. Anakin and Ahsoka looked confused, so the Gatekeeper introduced himself. "I am Heimdall, protector of the gateway into this realm. Though it has been destroyed, I can still see and hear all that goes on in other realms." He turned to Anakin. "I cannot see your systems, but I see the Nine Realms as clearly as if I was there."

"Cool," Ahsoka said.

"Can you see Loki, Heimdall?" Thor inquired.

"What's all this about Loki?" Sif demanded.

Heimdall turned away and gazed out toward the vast space before them. "I can," he said. They waited expectantly. "He is losing hope, but he will continue to fight until he has no fight left in him."

* * *

Loki was on his hands and knees, his black hair plastered to his head from sweat. Thanos had not physically hurt him since the infrared blast, but the mental torture was enough to keep the Asgardian subdued. _Why isn't he throwing me around?_ Loki wondered. _Does he have a plan?_ He was smart enough to know that everything the titan did had a purpose. There had to be a reason that the only burn on his body was the incident where Thanos had lashed out in anger.

Before he could dwell any more on the possibility of a plot, another excruciating shock went through his body, causing him to writhe in pain, but not scream. He refused to cry out, though he could not suppress a whimper.

"You are strong, Laufeyson," Thanos praised him. "You are the perfect asset to set my plan in motion."

So he did have a plan. "What are…you going…to do?" Loki gasped out. He tried to sound sarcastic when he said, "Please don't tell me that you plan to use me as bait to lure the Avengers into a trap? That is extremely elementary."

"No," Thanos said. He grabbed Loki's neck and stood him up. The Asgardian braced himself for more torture, but it did not come, and he was confused for a moment. At first, there was nothing. And then, out of nowhere, pain shot into his head, so intense that he felt as if it would split open. Thanos threw him to the ground, allowing him to clutch his head as if applying pressure would alleviate the pain.

Loki wanted to cry out to someone, to beg for help, but no one was there. Plus, who could he trust? Everyone had betrayed him. He shoved a fist in his mouth, trying to keep from screaming. His head kept pounding and he was beginning to lose his vision. The pain in his skull was so powerful that he did not notice the blood running down his arm from biting down on his hand. _Don't let him break you,_ a voice whispered in the back of his mind. He had to resist as long as he could, until it was impossible to fight any longer.

"I will keep you conscious," Thanos growled. "I want you to feel every fraction of a second."

_Tap into your anger,_ the voice urged him. As he fought against the searing pain in his head, he realized that if he got angry, he would survive longer. Anger would give him a sense of purpose. It would drive him to fight longer and harder. Perhaps it would make the pain more bearable. _Think of the Avengers. Think of what the All-Father did to you. Think of Thor._ Thor. The one person he had cried out to. In that moment of desperation, he had finally called him _brother_. Recalling the expression on Thor's face made him sick.

_I love you, brother. Forgive me._ Translation: _I'm sorry. I love you, but there are more important things that matter right now. There are _other things_ that I'd rather fight for. You're not worth a battle. You're not worth bloodshed. Forgive me for sending you to your doom._

Loki gritted his teeth. _Apology accepted, brother,_ he thought scathingly. He would _never_ forgive Thor for this. If he ever saw him again, he would kill him. _But you never_ will_ see him again,_ he reminded himself. Still, imagining the light leaving Thor's eyes was satisfying enough to help fight his agonized state.

"Stop resisting," Thanos growled. "The more you resist, the more the painful this experience will be."

_What experience?_ Loki wondered. What was he talking about? Then, all of a sudden, he knew. _Have you ever had someone take your brain and play? Pull you out and send something else in? Do you know what it's like to be unmade?_ That was Agent Barton's voice in his head. Loki felt a sense of dread as he realized then what Thanos was doing to him.

He was going to completely unmake him.

* * *

"Father," Thor said, placing a hand over his heart and bending down on one knee. Sif did the same, signaling Anakin and Ahsoka to copy them. "Father, we've come to speak with you on an urgent matter." Odin's calm face looked upon his son. He nodded for Thor to continue. "Did Heimdall tell you of what happened to Loki?"

"He has failed to mention this to me. I was going to call him in this afternoon to update me on the events of Midgard, as I have every day." His eyes narrowed. "What has become of Loki?"

Anakin stood up. "He's been betrayed to a monster," the Jedi said angrily. "A titan called Thanos strolled in and claimed that the Tesseract and Loki belonged to him. So, they just stepped aside and _let _him take your son away."

Odin's surprised gaze turned to Thor. "Is this true, my son?" he asked.

Thor let out a sad sigh. "Tis true," he said. "We were weak. He promised us time to obtain the Tesseract in exchange for handing him Loki then and there. We thought that we could use the time to plan an attack, but I know now that I have chosen the wrong path." He did not mention Loki's pleading. The expression on his brother's face still haunted him. "I appeal to you now for your help."

"I will not allow you to give the Tesseract to this titan, if that is your plan," Odin said. "Nor will you use it to transport to Loki's location."

"That is not what I had in mind," Thor said. "I hoped that we could—"

"Father." Everyone turned around to see Loki standing in the doorway.

Thor gasped. "Brother!" He stood up from where he was kneeling and took a few steps toward Loki, who lifted a hand to stop him. "Brother, how did you return? Did the Avengers rescue you?"

"I rescued myself," Loki said sharply.

"But…Thanos…how?" Thor was clearly surprised.

"You forget that I possess great magical abilities, _brother_." He put stress on the last word, letting all of the bitterness come out. He could see the question in Thor's eyes, so he said simply, "Thanos is still very much alive."

Sif and Ahsoka stood up, realizing how silly it must look to be kneeling. Anakin, who was already standing, pushed past Thor to stand in front of Loki. "I can't believe you actually—wait." Something didn't feel right. He gazed into the Asgardian's eyes, trying to figure out what was wrong. "You feel…different." He studied him a moment. "The Force…it's telling me that…" He was confused. "I can't quite tell." Then, something hit him. "Why are your eyes red? I distinctly remember them being green."

Loki gazed straight back at him. "Thanos did some terrible things to me," he said calmly, using his "silver tongue" to talk his way out without losing his calm demeanor. "In time, my eyes will return to normal."

Anakin did not look convinced, but he stepped aside as Odin said, "Come forward, Loki. What is it you desire?"

Loki walked calmly up to his father's throne where Sif, still holding the Tesseract, stood next to Ahsoka. "I had a revelation when the titan took me," he said. "I realized many things that were hidden from me before, and I have come to tell you something of very high importance."

Odin nodded. "Go on." His voice was authoritative, but his eyes were trustful.

Loki smiled. "Never trust the god of mischief." In one quick motion, he grabbed the Tesseract from Sif—whose grip was somewhat loose considering she trusted everyone in the room—and disappeared.

"Loki!" Thor gasped, staring dumbfoundedly at the spot where his brother had been standing moments ago. He turned a pleading gaze on his father, who was on his feet now. "Father, we've got to find him! He'll take the Tesseract straight to Thanos, and then…" He didn't want to imagine what would happen next. "You must assemble an army!"

"Thor—_think_," Sif urged him. "If he has the power of the Tesseract, he'll destroy the army in a matter of seconds!"

"Then a collection of us should go," Thor said. "We need to find a way to steal it back. Perhaps—perhaps Thanos won't use the cube right away. We might have a chance. We have to try."

"But what about Loki?" Anakin asked. "We might have to fight him."

Sif's jaw clenched. "Then we'll do so. You saw what he did. He stabbed us all in the back."

"We did the same to him," Thor pointed out sadly. "He is probably doing this out of bitterness. I do not understand why he would take it to Thanos, though."

"I don't think Loki was in his right mind," Anakin said doubtfully. "I felt a tremor in the Force when I spoke to him. Thanos is definitely behind this. But in what way?"

"I don't know," Thor said. "But we're going to find out."

* * *

While Loki was on Asgard, Thanos waited expectantly for his pawn to return. At last, the Tesseract would be his. Once Laufeyson came back, he would splatter the fool all over the ground, careful not to kill him. He had been very cautious in his use of mental rather than physical torture. He did not want the Asgardians to be suspicious. No, it was better if Loki went to his old home virtually unscathed to simplify things. A sick grin spread across the titan's face. This was too easy.

"Thanos!" a voice shouted, followed by a blast that sent the titan staggering. The source of the voice said, "Hmm. That usually sends people flying. You're stronger than I thought, big guy."

Thanos recovered a little too quickly for Iron Man's liking. "Change your mind?" he asked.

Iron Man shrugged. "You took us by surprise. Naturally, we needed time to suit up. Come on out, guys."

All of the Jedi came out: Mace Windu, Plo Koon, Kit Fisto, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Yoda all leapt out of a crater in the moon. After the Jedi lined up, Captain America emerged, followed by Nick Fury, the Black Widow, and Hawkeye. Then, lo and behold, the Hulk jumped over all of them and landed right in front of Thanos, huffing angrily.

"Hulk—_smash_," Iron Man called.

Before the Hulk could lift a finger, Thanos grabbed him by the leg and smashed him into the ground. He picked him up again for round two, duplicating what the green monster had done to Loki. By the time he was done, Thanos sneered, "Puny Hulk. Next?"

Loki had arrived a distance away at the very same moment that Thanos had picked up the Hulk. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the smashing. As soon as the titan said his line, Loki almost lost it. He allowed himself to release the laughter that had built up inside him, though the moment was fleeting. He had to get the Tesseract to Thanos as soon as possible.

Outwardly, he had a calm sense of purpose, in which he had one mission and one mission only: to get the Tesseract to Thanos. Inside, somewhere, Loki was there, watching it all, trying to fight his way back into control. He hated that he could not think, could not feel for himself. Something else was compelling him forward.

Iron Man deployed his weapons and shot some missiles at Thanos, who easily deflected them with an energy shield. "Not cool! That was my best move!" he objected.

Hawkeye shot an exploding arrow, but Thanos put up a shield once again. The Black Widow held up a hand. "Stop! We're facing him alone. We need to work with each other here! Stick to the plan!"

"Oh, right—the plan." Iron Man launched himself into the air and fired relentlessly at the figure below. Hawkeye shot arrow after arrow. The Jedi rushed forward as one and used the Force to push at him. Plo threw his lightsaber, only to have it caught and crushed by the titan.

"Did you think I was alone?" Thanos growled. "Count!"

Dooku rushed out and ignited his lightsaber. "Your foes have just doubled," the Sith Lord said. "Prepare yourselves."

"No time for formalities. Attack them!" Thanos ordered.

Force Lightning was shot in all directions. It brought Iron Man to the ground, causing his suit to malfunction, and it caught the Black Widow straight in the chest, sending her flying backward several yards. She lay on the ground, stunned.

Thanos, meanwhile, was shooting energy blasts at everyone in his path, though he was careful not to hit Dooku. He and the Hulk engaged in hand-to-hand combat, in which they wrestled at each other until the latter was subdued by the former's superior strength and stamina. Fury and Mace fell into the familiar routine in which the Jedi covered the Director while he shot advanced ammunition at the enemies. It worked for a while, but nothing seemed to penetrate Thanos enough to subjugate him.

"Director, where is Thor?" Hawkeye asked, rolling out of the way of one of Thanos's blasts. "You said that he was transporting here!"

Loki, who had been carefully approaching Thanos in a manner that would keep him from being caught in the middle of the battle, stopped in his tracks. _Thor is coming here?_

Maybe they're already dead," Fury said grimly. "We don't have time to speculate what happened to them."

_Ah._ That made sense. They thought that Thor was coming here originally. Well, he wasn't. He had gone to Asgard instead.

Thanos finally caught sight of Loki, who had almost reached him. "Bring that to me," he ordered.

"Loki!" Iron Man, who was on the ground, lifted his head to see the Asgardian approaching the titan. "Loki, don't do it!"

Loki turned his burning red eyes onto the figure on the ground. "You have no right to tell me what to do!" he spat. "You betrayed me. You _all_ did!" Though Loki was not completely in control, there was truth to his words. He handed the cube to Thanos. "Now watch as your precious worlds crumble all around you." Okay, _that_ part was not him.

Thanos grinned. "Thank you, Laufeyson. Now, fight them off."

"Gladly." Loki turned on the battered group and fell into a battle stance. "Who dares fight against me?"

Captain America dropped his shield. "I will not fight you, Loki," he said. "I learned in the military that you never leave a soldier behind, and I did just that. You may have fought against me once, but you turned around and fought by my side in the same way. I betrayed you, and I know that I cannot bring myself to hurt you now."

Iron Man stood up and walked over to stand by Captain America's side. "Well said, Cap. I'm with you on that one."

"And I," Hawkeye said. He went over to where the Black Widow was lying on the ground, injured by the Force Lightning. "Are you with us, Natasha?" he asked.

She nodded. "Of course." She let him pull her to her feet. They limped over to stand next to their fellow Avengers. "I'm sure Banner would agree if he was in his right mind."

The Hulk had gotten up and was breathing heavily. He did not attack, however. He just stood there.

"Are we just going to surrender, then?" Kit asked.

"I suppose so," Obi-Wan whispered. "Without the Avengers, we won't stand a chance against Thanos, Dooku, _and_ Loki." He faced the other Jedi and said, "Be honest. Would you really be able to bring yourselves to harm Thor's brother?"

"For the good of the universe—yes," Mace said. Yoda and Plo nodded agreement, though the latter seemed reluctant to express affirmation.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I for one would not."

Kit frowned. "Are you actually going against the Council, Obi-Wan?" he asked. "Not that I don't agree with you, because I do, but this isn't like you."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I suppose I am. I don't believe in what a lot of you have been doing lately. I think Anakin may have been wiser than all of you in this instance."

Mace's gaze hardened, but he realized that there was nothing he could do or say. He, Plo, and Yoda would not be enough to fight against three villains. "It looks like surrendering is the only thing we can do at this point," he said, though his tone indicated that he hated the idea.

"You are surrendering?" Thanos boomed, looking around at the figures that stood before him. "This is far too easy! I was hoping for more of a challenge. No matter. I will make you all suffer. Dooku—set up the ray shields."

Before long, all of the Avengers and Jedi stood separately, each encased in the powerful shields of energy that had kept them in place on Dooku's ship.

"What are you going to do?" Captain America asked.

Thanos's smile made them all uneasy. "I know how soft you are," he said, addressing the whole group. "I also know that it will simply kill you to watch the effects of an action that you regret." He placed a hand on Loki's head. "I have no further need of this one. He has fulfilled his part of my plan. I will enjoy the guilt that you will all feel when you witness this."

Loki, who had felt a sense of calm enlightenment, gasped in pain and clutched his head. _Have you ever had someone take your brain and play? Pull you out and send something else in? Do you know what it's like to be unmade?_ Those words echoed in his mind once again. His red eyes turned green as his own thoughts began to fill his mind. He could feel something being flushed out, as if he was waking up. His mind was his own again, though he still had memories of his time as Thanos's puppet. Everything was crystal clear: including his pain and bitterness.

"He was being controlled!" Hawkeye realized. "Look at his eyes." He remembered with a shudder the time that Loki had taken control of him.

"What are you going to do now?" the Black Widow asked.

Thanos grinned. "I'm going to break him. And you're going to watch."

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers quote I used from Hawkeye. I also don't own the Avengers themselves, the movie, or the Star Wars Universe.**

**AN: What did you think? Strangely enough, I was going to go in a completely different direction in which Loki would not be mind-controlled and Thor would form an elaborate plan by using the Tesseract to defeat Thanos. BUT my good friend Cassy27 had the brilliant idea that made this chapter possible. So, you can all thank her! :D**


	19. Under New Management

**Well, that's a bit scary to think about, isn't it? The Avengers seriously screwed up in letting Thanos take Loki. Nobody's perfect, right? Everybody makes mistakes, though this one might cost the universe its freedom. Good job, guys. I'm so glad that a lot of people are looking forward to updates! It makes me look forward to posting. I try to give a 24-hour time frame to let the chapter sink in before posting the new one, but it's so hard sometimes! XD Anyway, I hope you like this next one! Warning: it's got some heart-breaking moments and a couple of previously-used characters will make an appearance. ;) And the chapter after this is a big one. Won't say any more than that!**

**Cassy27: Your review, like I said in the PM, totally made the wheels turn in my mind! I sat for a long time, pondering ideas based on your review. Thank you! And YES I want to hug Loki _so bad_!**

**Novagon: I just got an idea. And your review initiated it. Thanks! You might not see the effects of it now, but it's coming.**

**Tiger of the Storm: Yay, you're back! Yeah, you pretty much nailed it. The Avengers get what's coming for them. They betrayed Loki, so they must suffer the consequences.**

**Guest: It's…um…the power of the Force? I didn't even think of that. Whoops.**

**CelticRemedy: Thank you so much! That's the kind of review I'm looking for; an evaluation of the plot, characterization, and pace. So glad you like it!**

**AaylaKit: I know… :( I had to make this more real. Forgive me, Loki! Boba should be back in this chapter or the next one.**

**Irish-Brigid: Good point…I didn't consider that.**

**FutureOscarWinner94: Thanks!**

**Ayy Kaim: I know…D: Things will get worse before they get better, but things _will_ get better.**

**The Rose Red Alchemist: That sounds pretty cool. You should do a fic on that! I may or not be able to implement it. I'm still trying to find a way to add Yoshka and Django.**

**Raychaell Dionzeros: I'M SO HAPPY SO HAPPY SO HAPPY THAT YOU LOVE MY FIC THAT I'M TYPING IN ALL CAPS TOO! :D It gets pretty epic after this chapter, I'm not gonna lie.**

**NARUTO SON OF ARTEMIS: Bahaha I don't care who you are; _that's_ funny. XD Made my day. "This is SPARTAAAAAA!"**

* * *

"Thor, are you _sure_ you want to do this?" Sif asked as Thor approached Heimdall. "You could be setting yourself up for death. Asgard needs you. After your father is gone, the throne is yours, but if you die fighting Thanos—"

"I understand the risks, Sif," Thor said, "but Loki needs me." He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. "Anakin would never let me live this down if I didn't go with him." He had meant it as a joke, but his voice held no humor.

"Thor!" Odin called, moving toward them. Thor and Sif stopped and turned around to face the All-Father, who held his spear, Gungnir, in his hand. "I want you to use this," he said. "Mjolnir is a powerful ally, but it will not be enough to fight this titan. The combined power of Mjolnir and Gungnir will make you a formidable opponent." He whispered something inaudible, then handed the spear to his son. "Use it well."

Thor was baffled. "Father, you can't expect me to—"

"Go now. Skywalker and Tano await you."

Queen Frigga stepped from a room nearby to join them. She hugged her son and murmured in his ear, "Bring Loki home safe."

"I will, Mother," Thor assured her. "I will slay Thanos myself as well."

Her eyes were worried, but she reluctantly let him go. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He turned away, unable to bear any more goodbyes. "Sif," he said, facing his friend, "you must remain on Asgard and defend it with your life if things go wrong. Despite what I said to console my family, you know the reality of the situation. I cannot promise that Loki and I will return."

Sif nodded. "I understand." She understood that Thor had to save the universe. She understood that he had to defeat Thanos and recover the Tesseract. What she _didn't_ understand was the fact that he was so set on saving Loki. Perhaps she was biased because of her opinion on him growing up _and_ the fact that he tried to take over Asgard and Midgard alike. She never did like Loki much, but if Thor wanted to rescue him, then she would not stand in his way. "I hope this isn't goodbye, Thor," she said, placing a fist over her heart.

"I hope it isn't either," he replied. He left Sif behind and went to stand beside Heimdall. "Can you see him?" he asked.

"Yes," Heimdall responded. "He is on a barren moon. Your friends are there as well. They have surrendered and are forced to watch Thanos torture Loki. You must act quickly. He does not expect you to go because he believes you have no means of travelling there."

Thor facepalmed, just realizing that because Loki took the Tesseract, he was trapped on Asgard. "Anakin, any ideas?"

"Way ahead of you." A ship flew up into their view. R2-D2 whistled a cheerful greeting. "Thanks, Artoo." He turned to Thor. "Having the smartest droid in the universe has its perks," he said, smirking.

"Indeed." Thor was impressed. "Let's go."

Anakin entered the coordinates that Heimdall provided. "Hop in." The three boarded the ship and headed off to rescue the universe from imminent doom. No pressure.

* * *

Loki found himself on his hands and knees once again. He had hated the non-physical torture he had experienced before his trip to Asgard, but nothing compared to the pain and humiliation that he suffered now. He knew that the Avengers—minus Thor, who was who knows where—were watching him sympathetically. He did not want their sympathy. He wanted them to pay.

"They will get theirs soon," Thanos said, as if he could read Loki's thoughts. "They will die a painful death. You will live a painful life."

"I'll live it to the fullest, then," Loki growled sardonically, still somehow maintaining his wit.

The Avengers remained silent. They wanted to say something, anything, to express their regret for what they did. Fury's face was grim and the Jedi sat still, meditating. It was hardly a good time, but what else could they do?

Hours passed. To Loki, it felt like days. He had to remain strong, though. Something in the back of his mind told him that the longer he fought against Thanos, the longer the titan would focus on him rather than the Tesseract. The moment Loki broke, Thanos would turn his attention to the unlimited power that would ultimately destroy the universe. _Are you seriously thinking about the good of the universe?_ he asked himself. The answer was yes, to a degree. Fighting Thanos would stall him, but it wasn't the primary reason he was resisting. It was mostly a pride thing. He did not want to let the Avengers and Jedi see him break.

Thanos was growing extremely irritated. "Do I have to break every bone in your body to make you scream?" he thundered. "You will submit to me, whether you like it or not!"

"Good luck with that," Loki responded, though it was hard to get the words out.

"What kind of science are you using?" Banner demanded, having been transformed and clothed. "How is he staying awake?"

Thanos smiled. "You have never seen cosmic power before, have you?"

"We can't say we have," Tony said. The suit had been removed.

"You will be feeling it soon enough," Thanos assured them, though they did not feel at all reassured by his words.

More time passed. Thanos used various methods to shatter Loki until he felt madness creep upon him. He would lose everything that was _Loki_. He would become a skeleton of his former self and yet, somehow, he was still breathing, still conscious, still _alive_. How could this be? _I remember a shadow, living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you tossing me into an abyss, I who should have been king!_ His anger at Thor kept him going but, at last, under the pressure of pain so great that he could not move, Loki broke.

Thanos reveled in the scream of anguish and fury. "Finally," he whispered, "you have come to terms with my full power. You admit that it is too much for even you." His malicious grin widened. "You will not die, Laufeyson, though I see the desire _so apparent_ in your eyes."

Loki had never hated someone so much in his entire life. He thought he hated Thor, and he did, but this was a different level of hatred entirely.

"Stop!" Natasha begged. "Haven't you hurt him enough? He's _screaming_! You got what you want—now leave him alone!"

Loki glared at her. _You're giving him what he wants! The more you react to my pain, the more he'll hurt me. You're smart enough to realize this!_

Loki, as usual, was smart enough to predict what would happen. Thanos grabbed Loki in the same way he had grabbed the Hulk. He then commenced to smashing him. "Remember this?" he sneered. "That's right, _Banner_. I know this is déjà vu for you!" He grinned at Natasha. "I love to see you beg. Please continue." He grabbed Loki's arm and twisted it behind his back. The Avengers winced at the sickening _crack_ that was made.

Natasha, realizing what game was being played, kept quiet.

Not far away, the Jedi and Thor landed. "If only we had Loki's ability to cloak ourselves," the Asgardian said frustratedly. "It would come in handy right about now."

"If we can get a visual on the Tesseract, though, I could summon it with the Force," Anakin said. "Problem solved."

"I know that the Tesseract is powerful enough to destroy Thanos, but how do we use it?" Thor wondered. "Once we obtain it, we'll be able to stop him easily. But the question is how. I'm pretty sure Loki knows how to use it."

"We'll figure that out once we steal it back," Anakin replied. "Let's go." They made their way over to the location that Heimdall had indicated. Anakin was the first to see signs of life. "Over there." He pointed, where the ray shields held the Avengers and Jedi captive. It was not the hostages that caught the Jedi Knight's attention, though. It was Loki. "Thor, look."

Loki was doubled over on the ground, in a pool of his own blood. He cried out, though it was not for help. His scream was of agony and fury. They could see him very clearly from where they stood. His eyes were squeezed shut and he gritted his teeth in between shrieks. There before them was someone who had lost all hope.

Ahsoka had a hand over her mouth. Thor, who had Mjolnir in one hand and Gungnir in the other, tightened his grips on both. Anakin reached unconsciously for his lightsaber, then realized that it would do them no good.

"We've got to go save him," Thor said.

"I know," Anakin whispered. "Where's the Tesseract?" He closed his eyes and focused on locating the cube. "There—sitting on a throne made of rock. Dooku is standing beside it. Guarding it, I suppose. He'll sense our presence, so we've got to be quick. Thor, you grab Dooku and keep him from speaking. I'll use the Force to obtain the Tesseract. Snips—you keep a lookout." He hated to make his padawan stand by and watch the scene below, but he couldn't focus on that just now.

Thor and Anakin walked around so that they would not be spotted. Soon, they were behind the throne. Dooku immediately felt that something was wrong, but Thor was too quick for him. He seized the Sith Lord and covered his mouth, nodding to Anakin to do his thing.

Anakin nodded back and reached out in the Force, focusing on making the Tesseract come to him. It felt strange, connecting to a source as powerful as the cube. He could feel the energy entering his body and it felt…good. _Focus, Skywalker._ He had to save Loki. That was the mission. At last, the device that held the Tesseract connected with his hand. Dooku's eyes widened and he used Force Lighting to zap Thor away from him.

"Thanos!" he called out. Thor bashed the Sith Lord with his hammer, leaving him sprawled on the ground, but it was too late. The titan had been alerted.

"So, you thought you could take _this_ from me?" He used his telepathic powers to bring the device that held the cube to him, snatching it easily from the Jedi Knight. "You are foolish to defy me!" He blasted at Thor, who dove behind the throne. The rock seat was then destroyed. "Stop running. Wouldn't you prefer this to the long, painful deaths I have in store for everyone else?" He blasted again, but Thor launched himself into the air with Mjolnir. "You are wasting my time! I have a universe to conquer." He looked at the Tesseract a moment, smiling at the possibilities. "You can have your sentimental moment," he sneered. "I will be back for what is mine." He used the device to disappear.

Thor landed and immediately rushed toward Loki. "Loki!" He dropped to his knees beside his brother. "Brother, please…" Loki stared blankly up at Thor. One of his eyes was swollen shut and the other was half-open. He was alive, yet not completely there. Thor brushed wet black hair out of his brother's face and placed the back of his hand on his cheek. "Stay with us, Loki," he whispered. "It'll be okay."

"No," Loki whispered, "it won't be, and you know it." His voice was so faint and hoarse that Thor could hardly hear it.

Anakin's voice was heard nearby. "Ahsoka, free the captives. I've got to help Thor and Loki." He got onto his hands and knees beside them. "Loki, can you hear me? We're going to take care of you. Stay alive, okay?"

Loki's good eye blinked once and then closed. At last, the pain was put on hold as Loki Laufeyson lay unconscious in Thor's arms.

"We've got to get back to Earth," Fury said, interrupting the moment. He turned to Anakin. "Did you use a transport to get here?"

Anakin nodded. "Yes. It's not big enough for all of us, so I'm going to use it to get Loki to Asgard first." He turned to Thor. "I'm guessing that's the best place for him, right? You have people there that can heal him?"

Thor nodded. "Yes. I will accompany you and your padawan. I need to tell my father what has come to pass."

Anakin nodded. "Get in."

* * *

Darkness. There was nothing but darkness at first. Then, he saw Thanos's face leaning toward him. He could not move away. The titan laughed maniacally as he cried for help, but none came. He saw Thor standing a short distance away, watching quietly. _Thor! Brother, help me!_ The god of thunder did not move to help him. In fact, he turned his face away, as if he was disowning him. _Please! Don't let him hurt me!_

"No, no, no!" Loki shouted aloud. His good eye flew open. Thanos was gone. Wherever he was, he certainly wasn't on that moon anymore. His eye flickered around, taking in his surroundings. _Where am I?_ He thought he heard the faint buzzing of voices coming from the other side of the room, but he could not see the source. Maybe if he stayed completely still, no one would approach.

He was wrong. "Loki," a male voice said.

Loki tried to shoot up into a sitting position, but the pain kept him down. When he heard footsteps approach, he felt a sense of panic flood him. "Stay away!" he warned. "Don't come any closer!"

"I won't hurt you," the voice said.

Loki's breathing quickened and his heart pounded. He did not know why he was so terrified. Whoever was in the room with him had tried to reassure him that he would not hurt him, but…was he telling the truth? As the footsteps drew nearer, he flinched away, squeezing his eye shut. He could almost feel the blow that was sure to come.

Surprisingly, no new pain came. "Brother, what's happened to you? Has Thanos driven you mad?" the man whispered.

Loki gasped, seeing images of the titan flood his vision once more. "No!" he cried. "Please, no!"

"How is he?" a female asked.

"It's only been a few hours and he has already awoken," the first said. "He's terrified."

"Your father wants to speak with you. I will stay with Loki."

Loki heard one set of footsteps retreating. His relief that the threat was gone immediately vanished when a new threat sat on his bed. "Please don't hurt me," he whimpered.

"Why would I hurt you? You are my son." A soft hand was placed on his cheek. He shivered at the touch, but was surprised to find it cool and comforting. "Look at me." He opened his good eye to see the beautiful face of his mother gazing down at him. Her eyes were so warm and full of love that he almost forgot that he was afraid. "You are safe now."

"Don't—don't go anywhere," he pled. He reached up and grasped her arm, clinging to it desperately. This was the one person that he could trust with his life. As long as she was around, no harm would come to him.

Her eyes were sad. "You've had the life ripped right out of you," she murmured. "You need to rest. I'll be right here, I promise."

Loki was afraid to rest. He knew that his vision would be flooded with images of Thanos again. "Where is he?" he asked wearily. Though the fear was still there, he could gradually feel himself returning. His mother's presence helped drive the panic and paranoia away.

"He is not here; do not worry about it," she reassured him. She stroked his cheek for a moment, then pushed some wet black hair out of his face. "All you should think about is healing. You are loved, Loki, and you must remember that."

He shook his head. "Odin—he'll imprison me again—I didn't take the Tesseract willingly, Mother, I didn't! The titan controlled me! He was inside my head, and—"

"Shh," she crooned. "He already knows. As we speak, the Avengers have returned to Midgard, where they will do what they can to put an end to this."

"So _that_ is where they went," a voice boomed.

Loki's eye widened in panic and he started shaking violently. Frigga pulled him into a sitting position and hugged him protectively. "You are not welcome here!" she shouted. "Stay away from my son!"

Thanos grinned. "I thought I made myself clear on the moon that I _would_ be returning for what is mine."

"This is no longer Loki!" Frigga responded angrily. "Look at him! You took away everything that makes him Loki. You turned him into a shattered ghost of his former self!"

"He is not completely gone," Thanos said. "I made sure of that." He took a few threatening steps forward, but Frigga did not move from her defensive position. "If you are wise, you will step aside."

She hugged him tighter. "He does not belong to you! He belongs here, on Asgard, with his family! You have what you want—the Tesseract. You have no need of Loki anymore. Leave at once!"

In one swift motion, Thanos grabbed her neck and yanked at her, but she would not let go of Loki. He let go, frustrated, and used his superior strength to pry her off of him.

"Mother, no!" Loki reached forward. Their fingertips touched for a brief moment before the Queen was thrown to the floor.

Thanos grinned and yanked Loki out of the bed. "Come along," he said. "I grow tired of torturing you physically. I have big plans for you, so do not struggle."

Loki took one last, long look at the limp figure of his mother on the floor. She was alive, but the titan's powerful throw had damaged her. "Mother," he whispered. He feared it was the last time he would see her before his death, which had to be coming soon.

* * *

The Avengers and Jedi assembled in Stark Tower. Boba was where they had left him—encased in a temporary cage set up in the living area. "Where were you?" he taunted. "Taking a vacation?"

"Clam it, Fett!" Tony snapped. It was uncharacteristic of him to lose his cool, but the pressure of the situation was becoming too much for him to handle. He took a few breaths, then dropped onto the couch. "All right," he said, clapping his hands together. "Loki's on Asgard, Thanos has the Tesseract, and we're probably not too far away from getting our butts kicked. Any ideas?"

"You might want to reconsider your first statement," Boba said, grinning.

"What are _you_ going on about?" Barton asked wearily.

Boba shrugged. "Look at the screen."

The gigantic flat-screen TV had turned itself on. "JARVIS!" Tony objected. "Now's not the time to watch _Cops_. We're in the middle of a situation here—"

"I'm sorry, sir. This was not my doing."

The TV show immediately disappeared, replaced by an image of Thanos holding Loki by the arm. "Hello, Midgardians," he greeted. "Remember him?"

All over the world, humans watched their screens, shocked at the sight of the titan and the Asgardian overriding their favorite shows. Considering Loki's infamous invasion on their planet, most of them could answer "Yes" to Thanos's question.

The titan continued. "He was correct in saying that you were made to be ruled. However, he was mistaken to say that he was destined to be king of this realm." He paused for emphasis, allowing everyone to take this in. "This world—the _universe_—is under new management."

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or Star Wars.**

**AN: Ooh, under new management, eh? Thanos has taken on a pretty big role there. Sorry for torturing Loki so much. I'm with you guys—I want to go in there and hug him just as much as everyone else reading this fic. I have big plans for him, don't worry. He won't be the helpless victim for long. It's not his style. That's all I will reveal. :D Keep reading and reviewing, and I will keep writing and giving out virtual cookies to all that send me their comments. Come to me, Loki's fangirl army!**


	20. No One Can Control Unlimited Power

**Hey everybody! Ironic that Chapter 20 is THE BIG CHAPTER where everything gets extremely awesome. It's NOT the last chapter, nor the longest, but it's crucial to the ending of the fic. I won't say what happens; I'll let it speak for itself. By the way, I thought I'd let you guys know that I had a breakthrough for a new idea. It's a one-shot, but it's HILARIOUS! It's called _Chess Wars_, and it is a Thor fanfic. Check it out! I posted it just before this chapter went up.**

**Cassy27: Yes, big plans, big plans. As I said in the PM, Thanos capturing Loki was the only way to make this chapter work. Trust me. You'll like the outcome.**

**The Rose Red Alchemist: I already had this chapter written out cuz it's a big one and I was so excited. I'm sure Yoshka and Django will show up soon.**

**Irish-Brigid: Yeah, I see your point. As far as Loki helping them kick butt…you'll have to read on to see.**

**AaylaKit: Loki's big moment is coming, I promise. I had to let Thanos take him again for this chapter to work out. Trust me; it's always part of the plan. I will find a way to do The Rose Red Alchemist's idea. I will. I just need time and space from the main plot. XD**

**Ayy Kaim: In response to all your statements: yes, you're awesome, yes, Boba's awesome, and don't worry, Loki will have his moment right here, right now. This is a great chapter, so don't miss it! :D (love the alliteration)**

**Maethorelen: Hi! Yeah, I understand what you're going through. This fic was quite a ride of happiness and depression and heartbreak for me too. I think you'll like this chapter. I know it made me happy!**

**laureas: Wow, I think you totally called something. I won't tell you what, but you called something that'll happen in this chapter. Just so you know. ;)**

**Raychaell Dionzeros: So glad you love it—you'll love this chap even better!**

**AaylaKit: Wow, that _is_ a good idea! Hopefully I'll have time. Summer is running out…**

* * *

"Things just got _far_ more complicated," Tony said, stunned at the image on the television screen.

"You guys are in for it," Boba sneered. "Personally, I'd like to kill Mace myself. But if someone else destroys him, I won't complain."

Mace was growing tired of this boy's constant expression of his wish to kill him. He didn't take it seriously, but he didn't appreciate it, either. It constantly reminded him of the life he took on Geonosis. _It was necessary!_ He kept telling himself that. _Now's not the time for this. A mad titan is about to conquer the galaxies._

"We need to tell Thor," Steve said. "I don't know anything about mythology, but I doubt they have televisions there."

"I'm pretty sure Thanos will find his own way to inform all of the Asgardians that the universe is, as he said, 'under new management'," Barton pointed out. "He'll want anyone and everyone to know of his power."

"Since when did you become the expert on power-hungry villains?" Tony asked snidely.

"Considering I _worked_ under the influence of a power-hungry villain once, I think it is safe to say that I caught on to their states of mind."

They looked at the screen again, where Thanos was standing with Loki. Surprisingly, the Asgardian was not shaking anymore. In fact, his expression was calculating, as if he was planning something. Despite the fact that he was in a healing-in-progress condition, he still seemed to be searching for a way to defeat the titan that had taken him.

"I dare the Avengers to oppose me," Thanos roared. "Let everyone who wants to defeat me come forward now. I am not afraid to fight for what belongs to me." He held up the device holding the Tesseract. "I have the source of unlimited power! Nothing can stop me from destroying everything in my path!"

"Is that his plan? Is he going to destroy the universe?" Natasha asked.

As if answering her, Thanos boomed, "I intend to start all over. With this in my hand, I can rebuild a whole new universe that is mine to control. Everyone that exists now is too bent on freedom and rebellion. I haven't the patience to crush you all to your knees. Be prepared for your ultimate end." He smiled. "Not even your precious Avengers can stop me now, nor will Asgard be able to fight a war against me."

Suddenly, Dooku appeared. "What is this?" he demanded. "You promised you would destroy the Republic! Not the entire universe! What about our alliance?"

"Our alliance has just expired," Thanos sneered. "You'd better go back where you came from while I have the mercy in me to let you live. Your world will come to an end alongside the Nine Realms."

Dooku, furious, zapped Force Lighting at Thanos, who retaliated by hitting him with a blast of energy that sent him flying off the screen.

"Ouch," Boba and Tony said in unison.

* * *

"Father," Thor said, placing a fist over his heart and dipping his head. "What is it that you wanted to speak to me about?"

Odin stood up from his throne and approached his son. "I worry about what Thanos plans to do next," he said, holding Gungnir, which had been given back to him.

"How will we put a stop to him? He already proved too powerful for five Jedi _and_ five of the Avengers."

"Perhaps Loki will have an answer. I need you and Skywalker to see if you can find a way to get him to talk about Thanos's strengths and weaknesses. He would be the one, above the rest of us, to know how to defeat him," Odin said.

"But, Father…I don't think Loki is in his right state of mind. When I went in there, he practically jumped out of his skin. I think that talking about Thanos will upset him even more. You haven't seen him—he's terrified." Thor did not want to go in again. He was afraid of what he would see in his brother's pale, sickly face.

"For the good of the universe, you must get him to talk. He must understand that whatever information he can give would be helpful in overthrowing the titan. If he wants Thanos to be defeated, he will need to cooperate."

Thor sighed. "I will go to him. Perhaps Mother can get him to speak."

Odin nodded. "I wish you luck, my son. I will be in to see him shortly."

Thor bowed and left. When he reached the medical room, he was shocked to find the guards on the ground, dead. He quickly rushed in, afraid of what he would see. He allowed himself to gasp in surprise at the sight of the empty bed and his mother on the ground. "Mother!" He rushed to her side and flipped her over onto her back and held her head in his hands. "Who did this?" A sense of rage coursed through him. _Loki._

"Thor," Odin's voice said. He was standing beside Lady Sif, just inside the room.

"Loki did this," Thor said angrily. "But why? _Why_?"

Sif looked upset as well. "We'll find him, Thor. I'm sure Heimdall would know where he went."

Odin lifted his wife into his arms. "I will care for her. Thor, go speak with Heimdall and return to me. We must find a way to put a stop to this madness."

Thor nodded and stormed over to the Gatekeeper. "Heimdall! Where is Loki?" he demanded.

Heimdall looked at him with his normal majestic composure. "Loki is on Midgard. He has been captured by Thanos."

Thor immediately regretted his previous anger. "Where on Midgard?" he asked urgently. He knew that his father had told him to return to him, but he had to get to Loki as soon as possible.

"He and Thanos are atop a building in New York City. The titan is using the Tesseract to broadcast his plan to the entire realm."

"And what is his plan?"

Heimdall did not look like he wanted to answer that. He let out a sigh and said, "He intends to destroy the universe and rebuild it in a matter of days."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Anakin's voice interjected. "Let's go find Loki and Thanos!"

"Do you have your transport ready?" Thor asked.

"Artoo is always ready," Anakin replied. "Let's go."

* * *

Thanos continued to use the Tesseract to broadcast his every move to the public. All around the world, people watched their screens desperately to see what would become of the Earth.

"So you really plan to go through with this," Loki said.

Thanos nodded. "No one can stop me. We will be the only ones kept alive during the destruction and rebuilding. It will be a glorious time."

"We?" Loki felt his stomach drop in dread.

"Oh, yes. You didn't think I was going to let you perish with the rest of the universe, did you? I'm not finished with you yet."

Loki wondered why Thanos wouldn't just _let it go._ He seemed so set on destroying Loki from the inside out. Was he blinded by power and rage? Perhaps he was angry that he hadn't been able to destroy and rebuild the universe sooner. The idea hit him like Thor's hammer. _He's going to destroy and rebuild the universe. And there's nothing I can do to…or is there?_

Loki studied the titan. Thanos was basking in the glory of the moment, so his eyes were not on the trickster at that time. The Tesseract was in one hand and Loki's arm was in the other, though the grips on both were not terribly tight. This was his chance. In one quick movement, Loki wrenched himself away from the titan and grabbed ahold of the device. Knowing that he wouldn't have enough time to wrench it away before Thanos reacted, he used it to transport both of them away.

* * *

Everyone had seen Loki transport and everyone had seen the look of surprise on the titan's face. _What is he planning?_ The question went through the minds of mortals around the world.

Loki, Thanos, and the Tesseract appeared at the top of a volcano, right where the Asgardian had planned. The two of them looked down into the boiling lava below, and then Thanos started laughing. "What do you intend to do here?" he asked. "Do you really think you are strong enough to push me in there?"

Loki hesitated. He knew that he would not be able to pull the Tesseract out of Thanos's hand, nor would he be able to push the titan in. There was only one way to do it, and he dreaded the idea. Taking a deep breath, he turned to face Thanos.

"Thanos, you are attempting to do the impossible," he began. "No one can control unlimited power. Not you, not me, not S.H.I.E.L.D…not even the All-Father." He took a deep breath. "That is why it must be cast into a place where it can never again be recovered. It must be destroyed!" With that, Loki grabbed one end of the device and jumped into the volcano.

Thanos held on tight, though the full weight of Loki falling unbalanced him. The déjà vu of the situation haunted Loki as he remembered dangling over an abyss. This time, he would not survive the fall. "You fool!" Thanos cackled. "You know that I am strong enough to pull you right back up!"

As he was about to do so, a blue blade suddenly went through his back and out of his stomach. The titan swayed a moment, and then was pushed into the volcano by none other than Anakin Skywalker. Thanos's heavy body fell into the lava below and disappeared forever.

Now that the titan's grip on the Tesseract was gone, Loki began to fall. Just as the thought hit him that this would be the end, someone grabbed the end of the device and held on tight. "Loki!" Thor's voice called. "Pull yourself up and grab my arm!"

"But—the Tesseract!"

"Grab onto my arm," Thor insisted, "and take the cube with your other hand and get this over with!"

Loki, weak as he was, struggled to pull himself up and clasp his left hand around Thor's wrist. The Tesseract was now in his right. He stared at it a moment, thinking about all the power it held, all the lives it could save…_But think of all the lives it could destroy._ With that in mind, Loki let the Tesseract fall and disappear into the scorching hot lava.

All around the world, television screens turned to static as the cube hit the lava. Everyone sat in stunned silence, considering what Loki had done. Had he really just given up unlimited power for the sake of the universe?

Back at the volcano, Loki gazed up at Thor from where he dangled above death. Thor's hand was wrapped around his brother's wrist in the same way that Loki's was around Thor's. Loki contemplated the next move. It would be so easy to just let go and allow death to take him. It had not taken him the first time, when he had fallen into the abyss, but perhaps this time he could finally alleviate the pain and bitterness that had consumed him since…a long time ago.

"Loki, no…" Thor whispered. He could see the conflict in his brother's eyes. "Don't let go. Not again. Please…"

Loki's eyes watered and he blinked back tears. His grip on Thor's wrist tightened, as if he was telling the god that he would not succumb to the temptation to fall to his death.

Thor, relieved, heaved Loki up. It was not a difficult task, considering he had always been the stronger of the two and the trickster god wasn't exactly at his best. When he finally pulled Loki out, he pulled his brother into a hug, his hands gripping his back. Thor was not a crier by nature, but tears still streamed down his face all the same. "Brother…" he whispered. "You've done it. You saved the whole universe." His whole body shook. "Don't ever let me lose you again," he whispered.

Loki wanted to point out that it was Thor who had brought the loss upon himself, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Why did you do it?" Thor whispered.

"No one can control unlimited power, Thor. I understand that the relic belonged to Asgard, but it is in its true place now—where no one can get it."

"But why would you sacrifice yourself?" Thor pressed. "If I hadn't been there, you would've died."

"If you hadn't been there, then Thanos would have pulled me up and continued with his evil plan in which I get smashed and the universe gets rebuilt."

"Not true," Anakin said. "I sense your intentions, though you do not want to admit them to Thor." His gaze was filled with awe and respect. "You would have used the Tesseract to transport inches above the lava, thus killing yourself and Thanos."

Loki stared at the ground. Thor let him go and held his shoulders at arm's length. "Is this true?" he asked. Loki nodded. "Oh, Loki…how could I have betrayed you?"

"Don't, Thor. Just…don't." Loki was already struggling with different conflicting emotions. Part of him wanted to accept Thor as his brother and allow the actions of the past to remain in the past, but the other part of him held onto the bitterness that had taken over way back when. He couldn't just _let go_ and ignore what had happened.

Then, he remembered what Captain America had said. _I learned in the military that you never leave a soldier behind, and I did just that. You may have fought against me once, but you turned around and fought by my side in the same way. I betrayed you, and I know that I cannot bring myself to hurt you now._

Could it be that easy? Could he simply forgive and forget? He knew that that was impossible. He thought of all the times that the Avengers had assembled around him. The first time was when they captured him at the end of the first invasion. The next that came to mind was during the third invasion, in which they had protected him from the Other. The following time, however, was when they gathered on the other side of the room to allow Thanos to take him. The final time was when the gathered to tell him that they were sorry and that they refused to fight him. _So they hated me, then they accepted me, then betrayed me, then apologized? Do they not understand why it is so difficult for me to accept their apology?_

Thor saw, through Loki's eyes, the conflicting thoughts that raced through his brother's mind. "We should go back to Stark Tower," he suggested uncertainly. "You can rest there. I know how badly you need it. Or we could return to Asgard, where you can fully heal. Either way, we have to get away from the volcano."

Loki nodded numbly. His body informed him that he was about to pass out, though he fought it with every ounce of energy he had left. _Does Thor really think that I can just go with him and pretend everything is all right?_ Evidently, he did. _I promised myself I would kill him the next time I saw him. _It would be so easy to do this. They were on the top of a volcano. Thor would not see it coming. Mjolnir would be a problem, though. The hammer was not in his hands, however, so it was possible for him to just push Thor in, and…_What are you thinking? Is this really you?_ Again with the conflicting emotions. _If you want to kill him, now is the time._ Somehow, though, he knew that he wouldn't. Whether he _could_ or not was debatable.

"Come on, Brother," Thor urged. "I know you don't like traveling in vehicles, but I assure you that the trip will be short."

Loki let Thor pull him to his feet. He resented the fact that he was too weary to do so himself. Perhaps after resting up, he could plan what to do next. He couldn't stay on Asgard for obvious reasons. Midgard was no place for him either. Maybe he'd go to Jotunheim, where he could live out the rest of his life in a cold wasteland. The Jotuns might not take kindly to his presence, but he could use his magic to conceal himself. _Just stop. Do the thinking later._ He forced himself to walk, though each step was agony. Finally, he reached the ship and everything went dark.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars, the Avengers, or the quote "Our alliance has just expired." I got that from Bolt, in which they say, "Your deal has just expired."**

**AN: LOKI! Thanos has been Loki'd!**


	21. Opening Up

**I've had a few questions about Thanos. He probably isn't dead or anything, but he is out of the picture. His character was used a lot and he served his purpose. Things will wind down from here as the end nears. Anyway, remember how I mentioned I'm going on vacation soon? Yeah, I'm leaving on Sunday. So, don't expect daily updates, but check your computers anyway. I'll be updating whenever I can.**

**Irish-Brigid: Well, at this point, I figured there had to be a way to defeat Thanos. So he's technically out of the picture for this fic, yes. He may return someday to claim his revenge, but not in this fanfic.**

**AaylaKit: It said the review was on Chapter 19. You read Chapter 20, right? The epic one in which Thanos gets totally Loki'd?**

**The Rose Red Alchemist: I know right! That was definitely my favorite to write. Please do PM me when it's up. I'd read it.**

**Cassy27: I'm not sure if he's dead or not, but he's no longer in this fic. The way I pictured it was that the volcano was on Earth and I left the other part vague, in which Thor and Anakin just "show up to save the day." Since it was Loki's POV, he, along with the readers, do not know where they came from or how they got there. Thanks—I was very proud of that bit where Loki contemplated stuff. It felt like I was finally connecting to his character.**

**laureas: Thanks for the ideas. I'll be sure to use them. Cap would be a good person for the job. And Tony. Tony might be like "Give the guy a break. He helped Loki and Thor save the universe." Haha well, I hope you like this chapter!**

**Ptroxsora: No problem. I'll be going on vacation soon, too, so I won't be updating on a daily basis.**

**Raychaell Dionzeros: Most epic chapter yet, right? :D If only I could continue this story forever! But all things must come to an end eventually, as this will very soon.**

* * *

Loki awoke on the couch in Stark Tower. His whole body ached, but the worst of the pain was gone. He tried to pull himself into a sitting position, but he was too sore. Instead, he resorted to leaning on his elbows. Looking around, he realized that all of the Avengers were in there, staring at him awkwardly. He started in surprise and glared around the room defensively. _Why are they staring at me?_

"Um…hi," Banner said.

"Morning, sunshine," Tony greeted cheekily.

"What happened?" Loki asked, rubbing his head. "How long was I out?"

"Just three days," Natasha informed him. "You—"

"Three _days_?" Loki's first thought was how humiliating it was that the Avengers had watched him sleep. _Sleep means vulnerability._ He had been fully defenseless for three whole days. Anyone could have done anything to him during that time. Knowing Tony, he might have a pencil mustache. He made a mental note to look into a mirror later. "Please do not tell me you were sitting there the whole time."

Tony laughed. "Of course we were."

Barton nudged him. "We weren't," he assured Loki.

"No, we weren't. That'd be rude and intruding," Tony said. "Agent Coulson would know all about that, wouldn't he, Cap?" Steve flushed and looked away. "Anyway, I made a phone call last night. We'll be having a visitor soon, so you might want to freshen up or something, princess."

Loki sighed. Of_ course_ Stark would invite someone over. "Where are the Jedi?" he asked tiredly. Though he had been out cold for three whole days, he still felt like he had been tossed around a few times. Oh, wait. He _had_.

"We're right here," Anakin said, walking over to the back of the couch and looking down at Loki. "We're more respectful when it comes to personal space. We decided to let you and the Avengers have some time." He was careful not to speak as if Loki himself was an Avenger, because that probably wasn't the case anymore.

Loki appreciated the Jedi Knight's tactfulness. "How do I look?" He wasn't fussy over outer appearance. He was mostly referring to his physical state. "Be honest."

Anakin smiled sympathetically. "Like you've been run over by a ship," he said. "I'd say I've seen worse, but I don't think that's the case. I mean, you look much better _now_, since the Asgardians healed you before…the _incident_ on the volcano, followed by three days of rest."

Loki groaned, knowing that the Avengers would immediately launch into the "incident on the volcano" as Anakin had put it.

He was right. "I know you're going to belittle it as much as you possibly can, but you do realize the significance of what you've done, right?" Tony asked. "Dude, you saved the whole universe. You should be proud of yourself. Not even the team could do that. You did it yourself. Without any weapons or _anything_."

"How'd you do it, anyway? I mean, we _saw_ you, but I don't fully understand what happened there," Barton said.

Loki shrugged, then winced. Even _shrugging _hurt. _Give me a break._ "Sometimes, weapons are not everything. If you are quick on your feet, then even the most powerful being can be overthrown." He did not enjoy talking at the moment. He just wanted to curl in a ball and isolate himself from the world. The Avengers were making it very difficult for him to do so. "How did you see it, anyway?" he wondered aloud. "Only Thor and Anakin were there, and that wasn't until the end."

"It was all over the televisions, mate," Tony said. "Everyone in the world who had their TVs on saw it. Thanos was using the Tesseract to broadcast everything. He didn't know it would backfire."

_Wait. He was broadcasting the whole time? He didn't stop after the announcement of his evil plans?_ Well, that was a bit of a surprise. "Lovely," was all Loki could say.

"All right, now that everybody's here, I think it's time to get down to business," Anakin said. Everybody instantly stared at the ground, unable to look at Anakin _or_ Loki. "Do you see what you've produced here?" He gestured toward the cuts and bruises that covered Loki's body. "Did you even consider what he may be feeling right now? I'll be willing to bet my lightsaber that he doesn't _want_ to see any of you right now. Am I right?"

Loki hated awkward conversations about his feelings. Sentiment. He preferred to think his own thoughts rather than voice them. "You're not wrong," he said quietly.

"Brother—" Thor began.

"How could you even _dare_ call him that?" Anakin demanded. "You all witnessed him get the beating of a lifetime. You watched him unwillingly bring the Tesseract to his most hated enemy. You saw him save the universe, even after you betrayed him to a titan with enough cosmic power to break him. I don't think any of you have the right to speak to him on a casual level right now."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said warningly.

"No, he's right," Banner said.

"Yeah, we're not worthy," Tony said, only half-joking.

Thor sighed. "He has more of a right to be bitter now than he ever has. Brother—Loki—I understand that we did some terrible things. If you choose to never forgive us, then I completely understand. At the time, we thought it was the best decision. Somehow, you took our mistake and turned it into a tool to save the universe, and we appreciate you for it. After you heal, if you decide you want to disown every single one of us, then that is your choice."

Loki narrowed his eyes. Was Thor trying to make him feel guilty? He let out a sigh and murmured, "I just need to be alone for a while. Is that all right?"

"Yeah, we understand," Tony said. "If you need anything, just call us. Our visitor will be here shortly, so be ready for that." He turned to his fellow Avengers. "I'll show you the Invention Room. It's pretty awesome."

Everyone followed him out, Anakin bringing up the rear. "Wait a minute," Loki said to the Jedi Knight. Anakin turned around. "Come over here."

Anakin smiled faintly and sat cross-legged on the floor, directly next to Loki, but not too close. "I would ask if everything's okay, but that would be counterproductive. What's on your mind?"

"You defended me, didn't you?" Loki asked upfront.

Anakin hesitated, then nodded. "I couldn't let them get away with simply dumping you like that. I…" His frown deepened. "I know that I'd want someone to defend me if the Council tossed me aside like the Avengers did to you."

Loki felt an unexpected stab of sympathy, which was unlike him. He hated sentiment. "You and Obi-Wan consider yourselves brothers, right?" Anakin nodded. "Imagine that Obi-Wan betrayed you to Dooku. Then picture the Council backing him up. That's pretty much how I feel right about now." He winced, realizing that he had just expressed his inner feelings to someone he hardly knew. Why was he being so open? What was it about Anakin that he trusted so much?

"It's okay," Anakin said, sensing that Loki was having doubts about his expression of churning emotions. "I'm glad you're confiding in me. I certainly won't tell anyone what you're struggling with. They should know it by now anyway. Especially Thor." He tilted his head to one side. "I really think that they feel bad for what they've done, but I'd understand if you didn't accept their apologies right away. I don't see how anyone could repair the severed ties at this point."

"Yes. That is why I wanted to talk to you. I'm…leaving. As soon as I am fit to walk, I intend to transport to Jotunheim."

Anakin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What? Why would you go there? It's not like you to brood." He mulled this over a moment. "I guess I understand why you want to get away from everything. You feel like everyone and everything around you is against you, right?" Loki did not reply, but the affirmation was apparent on his face. "That's what I thought. Would it comfort you to know that there are at least two people who would object to that idea?"

Loki frowned. "Who would that be?"

"Your mother and me. I know that she would be heartbroken if you left. Loki, you must know that you're not worthless. You actually mean something to some people. In fact, you mean a lot to all of the realms now. They're probably grateful that you saved them from destruction. Just saying. You should stick around."

Loki took a moment to absorb this. "I may consider it," he said. "But what purpose would I serve at this point?"

"You don't get it. You don't _have_ to serve a purpose. All that's asked of you is existence. Whether you realize it or not, a lot of people love you. Your mother, your father, Thor…yes, even Thor. He had a funny way of showing it, but he was distraught—and still is—that he abandoned you when you needed him the most. I don't expect you to refer to him as your brother, but you could at least refrain from leaving us the same way we left you. Believe it or not, your leaving would actually hurt a lot of people."

"I don't see why," Loki scoffed.

"Trust me. I sense everyone in that Invention Room right now. They're making small talk, but their minds are on you."

"Hello?" Tony stepped in cautiously. "JARVIS informed me that our visitor is here. Is it okay if we all come back in?"

Anakin looked at Loki, who nodded distantly. "Sure," the Jedi said.

Everyone filed back in at the same moment that Jane Foster walked in with Shawarma. "Hi," she said.

Tony laughed. "I told you guys that stuff was good."

Anakin was stunned. "_Padmé_?" As Jane put the Shawarma down on a table, Anakin rushed up to her and twirled her around once. "Look at you! You cut your hair! And—you're dressed like someone from Earth! I like it!" Without thinking, he kissed her.

Thor was stunned. Loki put a hand over his mouth to hide the smirk at his not-brother's expression. The Asgardian looked like he wanted to punch Anakin in the face. Jane didn't look too happy either. "Thor…what's going on?" she asked uncertainly, pulling away from the kiss. "What's _this_?" She put a hand over her mouth when Anakin tried to kiss her again.

"Get your hands off of my woman, _Jedi_!" Thor boomed.

Anakin whipped around to face him. "Back off, Romeo, she's mine!"

Obi-Wan, naturally, jumped in as the negotiator—and the shocked former mentor—to rectify the situation. "_Anakin_! Senator Amidala, _what_ is going on here?" he demanded.

Jane was still stunned. "Who?"

Anakin looked hurt. "Don't you remember our marriage? Did someone wipe your mind, Padmé?"

Mace's eyes widened. "_Marriage_? You've got a lot of explaining to do, Skywalker."

Anakin suddenly looked sheepish. "Um…well…you _see_…"

"Don't worry, I'll wipe their minds later," Loki reassured him.

Anakin let out a breath of relief. "Thanks."

"Who's this Padmé person? My name is Jane Foster and I've never met you before in my life."

"This _Padmé_ person is _me_," a new voice said. The beautiful figure stepped in to join the group. "Hi, Anakin. It'd be nice if you let go of her now."

Anakin jumped away as if Jane was on fire. "Padmé! I—um—wow. This is awkward."

"It's only awkward if you make it, mate," Tony said, grinning.

"Um…yeah. Loki, I think that mind-wiping would be needed right about now," Anakin said uncomfortably.

"Got you covered," the god of mischief said, grinning. He waved his hand and said, "You and Padmé might want to make yourselves scarce."

"Right. Padmé…why don't you go out and then come back in so that it'll look like you just arrived?"

Padmé laughed. "Very well." She kissed him. "I've always wanted to do this in front of the Jedi. See you soon!" She walked out.

Loki focused on the baffled Council members, emptying their minds of anything related to Anakin and Padmé being married. He erased their memories of Anakin mistakenly calling Jane "Padmé" and kissing her. He made sure that they were not aware of the Senator's presence outside the door. "That should be good enough," he said. The hilarity of the situation had briefly distracted him from his current state of physical and emotional pain. It felt nice to smile. He hadn't done so in a long time.

After a few minutes, the Council members blinked and continued talking as if nothing had happened. Loki grinned, proud of his work, and then cast the Avengers a warning glance. _If you reveal anything that I had just wiped from their minds, consider yourself dead,_ he thought, hoping they would catch on. He then winked at Anakin, who winked back.

"So, I say we have a party," Tony suggested. "Hmm? Anyone? Aren't any of you up for a party? I'd say we deserve one."

Loki looked down at his bruised form, then up at Tony sarcastically. "Do I look like I would enjoy any kind of loud, obnoxious social event at the moment? Honestly, I just want to sleep."

"You slept for three days," Tony whined. "Don't you ever have fun?"

"I am the god of mischief," he said. "Fun is part of who I am. But you try getting beaten around by a titan with cosmic powers, preceded by three battles against massive armies. Not to mention the permanent marks left by our good friend the Hulk. I do not mean to complain in any way. I am merely stating why a party would be a _terrible_ idea." Tony pouted. Loki sighed. "That face will not change my mind, you know."

"You don't have to be here while we party," Tony pointed out. "In fact, I'm sure a bed would be more comfortable than this couch."

Loki considered this. "Very well." Really, the idea was almost pleasing to him. The concept of being alone in a room without the Avengers bothering him sounded good right about now.

"Let me help you up," Thor offered.

Loki shook his head. "I can do it myself," he said sharply. "I don't need your help." _You weren't there for me when I actually _did_ need your help, so why should I trust you to assist me now?_ The truth hurt. He was tempted to point this out to Thor, but he didn't have it in him to fight anymore. Instead, he focused on heaving himself up. His muscles screamed in pain. "Damn," he whispered, turning an irritated gaze on Anakin, silently asking him to bail him out of the situation.

Anakin used the Force to lighten Loki's weight a little bit so that it was possible for him to walk. It appeared as if he was carrying himself just fine, though he relied heavily on Anakin's aid. Tony directed him to a room where he could pass out for a few hours.

It was not long before the room was transformed into a casual party area. Tony decided not to invite anyone from his large friend list. This would be a private party in which only those who fought together would take part in. "Where's Fury?" he asked. "He's missing the fun! The _real_ fun, not the battle fun."

"He's in another room, questioning Boba," Natasha responded.

"More Shawarma for me, then," Tony said, turning up the music and eating without holding back. "Ah, there you are, Nick."

Fury walked out, securing Boba by the arm. The young bounty hunter looked around, impressed. "You gotta have a lot of money to throw a party of this scale with such little preparation. Are there drinks?"

"Dude, you're underage," Tony said.

"So?"

"In this country, ten-year-olds can't drink alcoholic beverages," Barton said patiently.

"Good, cuz I'm eleven," Boba said evenly, "and I've seen way more than all of you combined!"

"Somehow I doubt that," Steve said.

"Yeah, do I have to do a headcount again?" Tony asked.

"_NO_!" everyone shouted instantly.

Tony put his hands up. "Okay, okay. Either way, kid, we've been through plenty individually that you wouldn't dream of. Have you ever been encased in ice? Cap here has. Have you ever been controlled by a lunatic? Say hello to the Hawk. Budapest? Talk to these two agents here. World War II? Cap's been there, too. If you want to learn about the physics of smashing cars, then Banner over here is your man. Then there's yours truly, the weapons designer, famous inventor, super genius, billionaire…must I continue?"

Boba's face twisted into a sneer. "Those are all Earth things," he said. "Have you ever been beyond your own planet? I think not. Anyway, you can't be that rich. I've seen richer."

"Dude, my assistants have assistants," Tony said. "This tower? A lot of blood, sweat, tears, and moolah. Anyway, why am I arguing with a little kid? It's time to get the party started!"

"I'm not a kid; I'm an assassin. There's a _difference_ where I come from."

Tony turned up the music. "I can't hear you! The music's too loud!" he said, pointing obnoxiously to his ear.

Tony's peppy attitude lifted everyone's spirits except Thor's. He was still uncertain about Loki and had half a mind to go talk to him.

"Go to him," Anakin said, putting a hand on Thor's shoulder. "I think it's time for you two to talk it out. If he throws anything at you, tell him I sent you."

Thor nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, Skywalker." He crossed the main area and made his way to the room where his brother was resting. He cautiously opened the door and peered in. "Loki?" he whispered.

Loki was already awake. He was lying very still, staring at the wall contemplatively. He pretended to be asleep, hoping that Thor would leave. He did not.

"Loki, I know you're awake. I grew up with you, remember? I've seen that trick before." When his brother did not reply, he walked in and sat on a chair next to the bed. "I know you don't want to talk to me right now," he said, "but I miss my brother." There was a pause. Thor smiled slightly. "I wish this was like those other times, when I would offend you and you would stop talking to me for a few days, and then make up." It was not long before Thor was reminiscing in old memories. "Remember all the trouble we used to get into?" he asked. "You would always talk your way out of it when the guards or Mother were concerned, but Father…"

"Father would always blame me," Loki said to the wall. "You are correct in saying that we got into a lot of trouble, but you neglect to recall that I always took the heat. Even when the scheme was _your_ idea." He chuckled softly. "All of your plots usually went haywire."

Thor did not deny it. "You took the punishments without complaint," he mused. "You were always a great brother to me."

Loki wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he turned around to face Thor and said, "You stood up for me against your friends numerous times. You always saw the good in me, even when I offended you with my tricks." A smile threatened to pull at his mouth.

Thor nodded. "We were a tight family, weren't we? What went wrong?"

Loki's smile faded. "You know what went wrong, Thor. You went on to become the greatest warrior Asgard has ever seen, yet you weren't fit to be a ruler. I stepped in for the good of Asgard. I always cleaned up after you when we were growing up. I was the one that prevented catastrophes that you would have caused with your arrogance. But it wasn't enough to gain Father's approval. The day I fell into the abyss, I knew not whether I would ever be seen again. I did know one thing; a Jotun can never be accepted on Asgard. A Jotun could never be your _equal_."

Thor was surprised that Loki had opened up to him, and he was equally surprised that he had, knowingly or not, referred to Odin as _Father_. He decided not to point it out, as Loki would most likely correct it as a mistake or slip of the tongue. "In my eyes, Loki, you _are_ my equal. In fact, your action on the volcano has raised you above me in many ways. I know that when our parents discover what you have done, they will realize what they have missed their entire lives. They will, as I do, hope that it is not too late for you to come back to us."

Loki searched Thor's gaze uncertainly. There was nothing but pure sincerity in it. He had honestly said that he considered Loki above him. "How can I go back, after all that has happened?" Loki asked.

"You will find our parents more welcoming than you realize. I think it's just about time that we go home."

Loki wondered how Thor would react to his idea about going to Jotunheim. He decided to test it out. "Asgard is _your_ home, Thor. There is only one place for me."

Thor gasped. "You don't mean—No, Loki. No." He leaned forward unexpectedly and wrapped his arms around his brother. "I can't let you leave me. Not again."

Loki wanted to point out that he did not belong here, but Thor would not believe that for one moment. So instead, he let Thor hug him a moment longer before lightly pulling away. Thor grinned widely and started talking about what would happen when they got back to Asgard. Loki listened quietly, adding a word or two here and there. Soon, they went beyond what could happen and instead talked about other things, like they had back when everything was simper. Loki found himself somewhat enjoying the conversation, as if they were brothers again and neither knew of Laufey's influence on the younger of the two.

For the next several hours, Loki Laufeyson and Thor Odinson discussed matters of everyday conversation.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or Star Wars.**

**AN: The little conversation between Loki and Anakin was all for you, laureas! I hope you liked it! Anyway, I think the next chapter will be it. Unless you guys have even more great ideas up your sleeves! I'd be glad to hear them, but I think we're drawing to a close here. If there was a way to continue this fic, I'd do it in a heartbeat, so give me something to consider if you can.**


	22. Parties and Goodbyes Revised

**Over 200 reviews! I feel honored to have had all of you read and review throughout the fic. Never have I ever had anything this successful. And to think that no one checks the Crossover section for Star Wars and the Avengers! You guys make me so happy! Anyway, for those that read this chapter already, notice the "revised" part at the end. The original chapter did not work out, so this is a revised version. It has some parts in it that were in the older version, but the whole thing has been changed around. Hope you like it!**

**AaylaKit: Here's the story behind the madness of…well…everything. I implemented Yoshka and Django and it didn't work out. A couple of people reviewed and didn't like it, so I deleted the chapter. Here's the replacement one.**

**Novagon: Thanks for the idea!**

**NARUTO SON OF ARTEMIS: Wow, the ideas you come up with. *shakes head, laughing hysterically***

**Ptroxsora: Thanks! :)**

**Ayy Kaim: Man, that's perfect! That moment with your dad is just like that moment with Boba. Oh, the irony! I love the feels I'm getting, too. This fic has really affected my fangirlishness (is that a word?).**

**The Rose Red Alchemist: Haha! Nice. Sounds so typical of one of my uncles.**

**laureas: Considering I LOVE it when people get Loki'd, I've got you covered. :D**

**Irish-Brigid: Yeah, I see where you're going there. The logic in your review blew my mind. I was like "Oh, man, I think I could've done a couple of things better here and there…" I can't fix the mistakes at this point, because the story is too deep, but thanks for pointing them out.**

**ALWS: Congratulations! You're my 199th reviewer! Yeah, I like the idea and I've seen some of Season 4, so I remember Ventress becoming a bounty hunter. I'd do that, but I'm very bad with character development in some areas and I'd be afraid to accidentally make them OOC.**

**Raychaell Dionzeros: OMG YOU'RE MY 200th REVIEWER! How do you feel? :D Haha _I_ feel loved.**

**Cassy27: Yeah, Loki had to erase the Council members' minds so that it wouldn't mess up the actual Star Wars movies in which Anakin and Padmé have a secret marriage. I purposely put that conversation with Thor and Loki in there so that things could wrap up.**

**Forgotten Honor: Yeah, sorry about that. Here's the new chapter. Hope you like this one better.**

**Irish-Brigid: Enjoyed our PM conversation and I'm glad that you were honest about the now-deleted chapter.**

**Patrick O'Loughlin: Dude, good idea! Why didn't I think of that?**

**Hawkslayer: Thanks so much! That made my day and it was the kind of review I've been looking for: a comment on my writing style, descriptions, and components of the story. Those types of reviews are very helpful and reassuring and make me very happy! :D**

* * *

Loki and Thor talked for many hours about simple things that would not seem to matter to anyone but them. Thor was careful not to let the conversation go in any direction that would close Loki up. Neither realized how much time had passed until Tony poked his head in.

"Hello? Everyone okay in here?" He glanced from one Asgardian to the other, then smiled broadly. "Good. Um, sorry to interrupt, but Thor is needed out here. Loki can do what he wants, considering I'm not really in control of his actions." He smirked. "I don't think I'd want to be, anyway."

Thor looked at his brother. "Do you feel up to coming out with me?" he asked.

Loki inwardly groaned. He was still very sore, and probably couldn't walk on his own, but that wouldn't stop him. He had to show everyone that he was strong enough to take anything that could possibly happen out there. It was tempting to hole up and not come out, but that was a sign of weakness. "I'm fine," he said, pulling himself up. "I will humor you."

Thor gazed at him a moment. "You don't have to if you're still hurt, you know."

"I am not helpless, Thor," Loki said sharply. He instantly regretted his harsh tone when Thor winced. "Really, I'm fine," he added softly. "Don't worry about me so much."

Thor walked around to the other side of the bed so that he could help Loki up. The god of mischief looked like he wanted to object, but Thor's expression was insistent. "If you must walk around, then let me help you. You don't even have to cling to me. Just lean on me for support, or allow me to take your arm."

Loki realized that he could not go out without Thor's help, so he finally relented. Which would make him look more vulnerable? Hiding away or relying on the god of thunder to help him walk? Both were humiliating, but he had no third option. "Very well," he said at last. "Don't get any ideas, okay?"

"Wouldn't dream of it." Thor pulled him into a standing position and draped his brother's arm around his neck. "Just hold onto my shoulder. I'll help you to the couch so you can sit out there without leaning on me."

Loki agreed that that was fair. They walked slowly out of the room, Loki holding onto Thor for support. Walking really hurt and so did the stares that he got from the people in the room. They were not degrading stares in any way, though. Most of the expressions were warm and welcoming. Loki was surprised to see how many people were happy to see him.

"Hey, it's Loki!" Anakin's voice was cheerful.

"Are you feeling better?" Banner inquired.

"You still look pale," Steve observed. "You should sit down."

"No dip, Cap," Tony said. "Poor guy just risked his life to save the universe. I'd be tired too. Not to mention badly injured."

"I am fine," Loki said for what felt like the umpteenth time. "Really, I am. I do not need anyone to fuss over me."

"You should sit down anyway," Barton suggested.

Natasha shrugged. "Leave him be," she said. "He does what he wants and I don't think he wants to be badgered at the moment."

For once, Loki was grateful to the female S.H.I.E.L.D agent. All he wanted was to be left alone, but no one would stop making such a big deal out of Thanos's defeat. In all honesty, the titan probably was not dead. One of the most powerful beings in the realms could not possibly have gone that easily. _I'm paranoid now,_ Loki realized. Thanos had broken him to the point of paranoia. _Sentiment._ Either way, he had "defeated" the titan for now. He probably would not be back anytime soon.

"Come on, brother," Thor whispered in Loki's ear. He, Loki, had just realized that he was still halfway toward the couch, his arm wrapped around Thor for support. "Let's sit down and let them get back to the party."

As Loki eased down into the seat, he noticed Thor sit down beside him. "No, Thor," he said, shaking his head. "Enjoy the party. I am a liability."

"Do not talk like that," Thor boomed. "You saved more lives than I can count. You deserve to be the center of attention here, but instead you insist to stay under the radar. So I will sit with you."

"You don't have to—"

"But I _want_ to." Thor gazed very seriously into Loki's eyes. "I want to be here for you in a way that I wasn't when you needed me the most."

_But maybe I don't need you right now,_ Loki thought, unable to say the words out loud. _I'd be better off alone._ "Please, Thor. We can talk when we go back to Asgard." He had finally admitted to himself that he would indeed be going back to the place in which he was raised.

Thor gazed at Loki for several moments, then nodded. "Very well. I _will_ take you up on that later." He smiled faintly and stood up to have a word with Steve.

Loki was left alone to his thoughts. His mind wandered to the moment in which he had been on his knees, pleading for Thor's help. All of a sudden, images flashed before his eyes one at a time. He saw himself standing a little way behind Thor, having just been shoved out of the way to speak to Heimdall. He heard Thor say "Know your place, brother!" when he tried to convince him to think clearly about the situation they were in. He listened to himself and Thor argue back and forth on several occasions, he saw them fight, he saw himself fall into the abyss…

"Agh! What will this accomplish?" He placed his palms on either side of his head. For the first time since he was a young boy that began to harbor resentment toward Thor, Loki stopped and thought about what bitterness meant. For as long as he could remember, he had noticed that Odin had a preference for his brother. He never understood why, and it had hurt him, but he was still close to Thor. _I never wanted this throne! I only wanted to be your equal._ That was all he had wanted, yet he never got it. _Was Thor affected by this, though?_ As he thought it through, he realized that the answer was no. Thor couldn't possibly be affected because he didn't understand. Because he could not sense or read Loki's swirling emotions, he wouldn't feel the effects of them. He only knew what he felt because he wasn't sensitive enough to feel others' feelings like Loki could.

"Man of Iron, what song is this?" Loki heard Thor ask cheerfully.

"You never heard of Black Sabbath?" Tony responded with a question.

"I cannot say I have," Thor replied. "This music, though…I like it."

"Don't say 'another', please, Thor," Jane begged.

Thor raised an eyebrow. "Why in the Nine Realms would I say that?"

Loki turned away and stopped listening in on the conversation. That confirmed his suspicion, that no matter how much bitterness and anger he had inside of him, Thor would not notice or be affected by it. The only one that _was_ affected by it was Loki himself. Bitterness and anger ate at him from the outside in and what did it accomplish? It was all sentiment.

While Loki contemplated all of this, the party went on. Tony stood next to Steve, retelling stories to some of the Jedi about the adventures they had all shared. The Captain nodded and corrected some details that Tony exaggerated. Jane danced with Thor while Anakin watched, laughing. The Jedi Knight tried to convince Obi-Wan to dance along, though his former mentor declined. Eventually, Anakin got Padmé to dance with him, which didn't draw the attention of the Council members considering it seemed to be a casual gesture. The two agents stood together, talking amongst themselves. For once, they were not discussing S.H.I.E.L.D matters. They were enjoying themselves. Banner, who usually stood nervously away from the group, conversed with Fury.

All good things must come to an end, and this party was no exception. The music, eating, drinking, and dancing slowed gradually and turned into one big conversation in the main area. Everyone, worn out, seated themselves.

"Some party, eh?" Tony asked, grinning. "Come on; admit it. Yours truly is the master of the art of party-throwing. Even Fury over there couldn't resist a little leisure time. Am I right?"

Fury sighed. "It was a great party, Stark, but I believe it is time to discuss what happens next."

"Well, since Dooku's gone, I think we should leave," Obi-Wan pointed out. "We'll have to track him down."

"If he's smart, he'll stay away from your Nine Realms," Anakin said.

Mace turned to Anakin. "Yes, I'm sure he will. We will be discussing your behavior when we return home, Skywalker." _The way you addressed the Avengers was very inappropriate, _he added silently.

"Will you people give him a _break_?" Tony asked. "I mean, really, he stabbed Thanos in the back. Literally. I think he deserves some credit here, even if most of it belongs to Loki."

"No, I am with you," Loki cut in. "Skywalker deserves more than credit. He deserves to be accepted. I think that the Jedi haven't a clue what it feels like to be alienated."

Anakin shot Loki a grateful glance. "Really, guys, it'd be nice if you had a bit of faith in me."

Yoda's gaze flickered from one face to another. "Discuss this matter, we will, later," he decided. "Consider what you said, we will."

"Anakin seems to have his head in the right place," Steve said. "He has proven a great fighter and a worthy soldier that I would certainly fight side-by-side with."

Obi-Wan nodded approvingly. "He means a lot to the Order. Sometimes, a lot of us fail to see it."

"We will talk about this more when we return to Coruscant," Mace assured them. "For now, we really must go back."

"I think it's time for _all_ of us to go our separate ways," Fury said. "If we must assemble again, then let it be so. But for now, we should all return things to the way they were before the invasions. Sooner or later, the city will become inhabited again. S.H.I.E.L.D will work on repairing the damages. I'm sure Stark would be more than willing to do some heavy lifting."

Tony saluted. "Always," he said, smirking.

"Very well, then," Mace and Fury said in unison. They glanced at each other, both slightly creeped out by the moment. Purely coincidental. Right?

"We will take Boba here back to the Republic," Plo said.

Kit grinned. "Ready for the fun, bounty hunter?"

Boba rolled his eyes. "Your definition of 'fun' is very different from mine. Let's just get out of here already and get this over with."

"Gladly," Anakin said. "Need a ride back to Asgard, Thor?"

Thor nodded. "I suppose so. I believe the Bifrost is being repaired, but it will not be ready for a while."

"That's that," Steve said. "It has been a pleasure serving with all of you." He saluted as Tony had earlier, except his had meaning to it. Not that Tony's didn't. Steve's just had a more serious edge. "Goodbye." He was the first to walk out the door.

"There is much to do at the agency," Barton said.

"Our work is never done," Natasha mused. "On to S.H.I.E.L.D then."

After a few goodbyes, Fury and his agents left as well.

"Skywalker—you are taking the Asgardians home, correct?" Mace asked. Anakin nodded. "All right. Do not take too long. We will go ahead home. There is much to be done. Your apprentice can accompany Master Fisto."

"Yes, Master Windu." Anakin bowed and watched all of the Jedi file out to their ships.

"And then there were four," Tony said.

"Technically there are five," Loki corrected him.

"If you count me, then yes. But I wasn't counting me, because this is my tower. So all of you get out." There was a pause. "That was a joke. Laugh. Fine, be critical. Either way, it was great having you all here." He faced Banner. "You want to stick around? I could use some help in the lab."

"You mean you could use a guard dog," Banner corrected him.

"No, I have a security system for that. Seriously, I need a lab partner."

Banner shrugged and smiled. "In that case, I will stay."

"Brilliant! All of you—out. Banner and I have some work to do. See ya!" Tony waved them out.

"We're being kicked out, apparently," Anakin said, laughing. "Okay, we're going." He led the two Asgardians outside and gestured toward his ship. "There should be room here. Pile in, you two."

* * *

"A lot of good could come out of an alliance, you know. Just because we failed on the Earth does not mean that we will fail in the rest of the universe!" Dooku's voice rang out over the barren moon in which the Chitauri had assembled.

"The Tesseract is destroyed!" one soldier protested.

"Thanos is gone—the Other is dead! How could we engage in another losing war now?" another challenged.

"We grow tired of invasions," a third added. "We are always outmatched and, frankly, I would like to live to see another day. I am sorry Count, but the Chitauri reject your offer of an alliance. We wish to eliminate further humiliation."

"I ask you to reconsider," Dooku said. "If your army combines with mine, the Republic will be overwhelmed. Together, the Confederacy and the Chitauri will rule the galaxy!"

"As tempting as that is, Dooku, our answer still stands. Without the Other and Thanos, we do not wish to make any more advances toward subjugating other realms. We intend to hide away where no one can find us so that we can start a new life."

Dooku stood angrily, then bowed. "I understand." He turned to Grievous, who was standing beside him. "Make the order."

Grievous turned around and shouted, "Kill them all!"

"Rodger, Rodger."

Thus, the Chitauri were no more.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or Star Wars.**

**AN: Sorry it was so short. I had to basically cut some parts out of the old chapter and add a few new parts to make it longer. I had to stop there so that I could leave room for the Epilogues (yes, there will be two). The Epilogues will not be that long, but they should establish a good ending for the story. I'm not sure how I'll do them yet. They might be all one chapter, or they might be two separate ones. Just keep reading all the way through and it'll all become clear in the end. :) For those of you that do not have FF accounts, let it be known that this might be the last chapter that I can respond to your reviews, so make them good! :D**


	23. Epilogue

**Sorry I took so long, everyone! First I was on vacation, then I got totally lazy and decided I didn't feel like updating either of my stories. Finally, that little voice in the back of my head told me that I'm letting my fans down, so I decided to get Microsoft Word out and start typing away. Either way, this is it! I've combined two Epilogues into one. Hope you like it, and farewells are at the bottom!**

**NARUTO SON OF ARTEMIS: Man, you DO have some seriously crazy (and funny) ideas haha I checked out your profile and looked at your stories, though none of them are on topics that I know anything about. Sorry for not reading any, but I've been busy and I wouldn't have understood them anyway considering I don't know anything about the topics.**

**Raychaell Dionzeros: I know right! My brother was the 100th reviewer on _The Portal of Destiny_. I never thought I'd get 200 reviews on _Invasion_. Blows my mind!**

**Cassy27: Yeah, the Chitauri idea just kind of came to me, though someone suggested that Dooku try to convince them to join the Separatist army in the Clone Wars. I decided to play with that idea and thus the Chitauri race died. Glad you liked the parts where Loki contemplated things, because I put a lot of thought into what his mind would be like at the moment. It makes sense, you know? Loki's bitterness harms no one but himself, and he is smart enough to figure this out.**

**Tiger of the Storm: I miss your reviews. :) I tried to combine things in that chapter to the best of my ability to make things wrap up neatly. All that's left are the Epilogues. Hope you like them!**

**laureas: I thought of you when I wrote those lines. I was like "I've got to make sure I do laureas's idea with Anakin." Hmm…That would have been interesting, but Loki can't read direct thoughts. It'd be neat if he could, though, and commenced to beating Mace's arse. And YES I will be among the first to get a copy of the movie! It makes me happy that I converted you to a Loki fan (I already converted random-fan803 and one of my brothers).**

**Ptroxsora: Yup, here they are!**

**AaylaKit: I know, I hate to end this fic and it's my favorite, too. Haha yup, Loki does what he wants and no one had better forget it! Aww, don't cry. I'll keep up my writing for as long as I can. I think Future will be my last fic for a while because I go off to college in two weeks.**

**The Rose Red Alchemist: I've been thoroughly enjoying our roleplay! :D I'm sorry the Django and Yoshka thing didn't work, but I'm glad you like the replacement chapter anyway! Gah, I can't believe there's a limit! :(**

**Ayy Kaim: Yes, yes he does. Bahaha coffee is good. For some people. I don't drink it. Bleh. Haha SLEEP! :D Do what you want; always. ;)**

* * *

_**On Coruscant…**_

After dropping the Asgardians off, Anakin arrived at the temple to find that the Council was in session. Normally, he wouldn't barge in, but Obi-Wan had sent him an alert stating that he was expected to come in and join the report. As soon as his ship landed, he walked into the Council Chamber and bowed. "Hello; sorry I'm late. I had some business to take care of."

"No problem," Kit said good-naturedly. "We were just about to get to the report on the happenings on the planet Earth."

Anakin nodded. "Good. Let's get on with it, then."

They discussed everything that had happened. It was a long story that dragged on for a long period of time, but everyone who had participated in the ordeal felt that the whole Council should know what had gone down. There were varied reactions to each piece of news, but everyone seemed to get the central message: that Dooku was still out there and had had sinister plans.

"So what do we do from here?" Kit asked.

"We continue to work for the Republic, in hopes that the war will one day be settled," Mace said determinedly.

"We continue to do our duty," Plo agreed. "Whenever we are needed, we will be on the front lines to defend democracy."

"I'm still intrigued by the Avengers," Obi-Wan mused. "I've never met anyone like them in all my years of service."

Yoda nodded. "Interesting, they were, yes."

"Especially Loki," Anakin remarked.

Mace frowned, but decided not to comment on the Jedi Knight's obvious friendly attachment to the trickster god. "Right. They were, but they are no longer in need of our services. We must try to forget about them if at all possible and get back to our duties, as Master Plo said."

"We also need to try to find Dooku," Ki-Adi added. "The sooner he and General Grievous are taken care of, the better."

Anakin bowed his head. "Am I needed here anymore?"

"No, you may go," Mace said, dismissing him with a wave of the hand.

"Thank you, Masters. I will await further orders in the meantime." He bowed again and walked out of the room, leaving the Council behind to debate on issues that Anakin could care less about.

"Hello, Master," Ahsoka greeted him as soon as he left the room.

Anakin smiled. "Hiya, Snips. How's it going?"

She shrugged. "I'm fine." She studied him closely. "You miss Loki, don't you?"

Anakin sighed, realizing that he could hide nothing from his insightful apprentice. "Yes, I do," he admitted. "He understood me unlike anyone I've ever met. I don't tell many people about my past, but he seemed to recognize just how important certain things are to me; including my mother."

"I know you miss her," Ahsoka whispered. "I may never know what it feels like to have one, though."

"It's a wonderful thing, yet terrible as well. It is horrible for a Jedi to have such attachments, and you must remember this. Losing my mother was a stab in the heart. Having attachments gives you the dreaded fear of losing them. Take my advice; do not follow in my footsteps, my padawan."

Ahsoka nodded and touched Anakin's arm. "What do we do from here?" she asked quietly.

Anakin heaved a deep sigh and looked out one of the large windows. Darkness was beginning to engulf the busy planet of Coruscant. No matter how dark it got, there would still be a steady flow of ships in the air, filled with people going about their business. Placing a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder without looking at her, Anakin Skywalker said, "We go about our business."

* * *

_**On Asgard…**_

After Anakin dropped them off, Thor and Loki were greeted by Heimdall. "The All-Father has been expecting your arrival," he said simply.

Loki wished he would elaborate but, knowing Heimdall, those simple words would be the only ones they would receive. The Gatekeeper was a man of few words, but the few that he used were very relevant and impactful. "We will go right away," Loki said cautiously. He knew that the last time he had been on Asgard, he had been in the healing room with his mother. Thanos had pulled him away and injured Frigga. He hoped she was all right.

"Come, brother," Thor urged, pulling Loki's elbow lightly. "Whatever he wants with us, I know it will not be anything bad. Heimdall had to have seen what you've done on Midgard."

The Gatekeeper gave no indication that he had, but Loki was certain that Thor was right.

When they reached the Throne room, Thor put a hand on Loki's shoulder. "Are you ready?"

Loki was still uncertain as to how to feel about the god of thunder at this point. He swallowed nervously and nodded. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You conceal your nerves well, brother. I've known you my entire life, so I know when you are hiding something. Relax. As I said; there is no way that this could be a bad thing. He would not dare imprison you at this point because you _have_ proven yourself. He will—"

"Thor?"

Thor stopped. "…Yes?"

Loki smiled. "Thank you."

Thor grinned back. "We'll be fine."

"We will. Now, let's go inside."

The two brothers walked through the door to find Odin and Frigga talking next to the throne. They were speaking in hushed voices and did not immediately notice their sons' presence. When the door shut behind them, though, both god and goddess jumped and turned around to see what was going on. As soon as Frigga's eyes met Loki's, she rushed swiftly toward him and pulled him into an embrace.

"My son…" she whispered fondly. "Loki, you've done it!"

Loki smiled, comforted by his mother's tender greeting. "Mother, I—"

"Loki Odinson." Loki looked up, surprised by his father's words. Frigga stepped away so that father and son could be face-to-face. "What you did on Midgard with the Chitauri was detestable. You deserved the ultimate punishment for trying to take over a realm." There was a long, tense pause. "Be that as it may, you have demonstrated the bravery of a thousand Asgardian warriors. You endured a punishment far crueler than you deserved, so I believe it is safe to say that you paid for what you have done. In the end, you averted a crisis that would have cost countless lives and you were willing to give your own in exchange for said lives." He gazed at Loki for several moments. "It has been decided that you are granted the full rights of a Prince of Asgard and, if you so wish, you will be referred to as Odinson once again."

Loki thought this over, unable to comprehend what Odin was saying. Was he actually letting him live on Asgard again in freedom? All at once, Loki felt all the anger and bitterness and jealousy rush through his mind and then settle down like dust. It was still there, but it was less than it had been before. Was there really hope for them after all? After several moments of pondering Odin's statements, Loki looked his father in the eye. "I accept," he said carefully, "but I am skeptical for the time being."

"I understand," Odin said, "and I would be surprised if you weren't."

The door opened again, revealing Sif and the Warriors Three. The four of them each placed a fist over their hearts and fell to one knee.

"We heard about what Loki has done," Sif said, standing. "Have you reached a decision?" she asked Odin.

The All-Father nodded. "He is welcome to stay here as Prince of Asgard."

Fandral smiled. "He deserves it. I hear he saved the whole universe from a titan."

"He did," Thor confirmed. "I was there."

Loki was embarrassed by the way everyone seemed to consider him a hero. He didn't feel that he'd done anything incredibly super, even though he knew deep down the significance of his actions. "Really, it wasn't—"

"Nonsense," Frigga said, patting her son's shoulder. Her eyes were filled with love and warmth. "If it wasn't for you, Asgard would not exist anymore."

Everyone buzzed with conversation, mostly pertaining to Loki. The god in question simply nodded quietly and inserted a few words here and there. He soon found a way to slip out of the tightly-knitted group without being noticed. He walked out to a balcony and stared at the beauty and wonders of Asgard. It was a wonderful sight.

"Brother?" Loki turned around to see Thor approaching. "Are you all right?"

For the first time in a long time, Loki Odinson genuinely smiled. "Yes, Thor. I'm just fine."

* * *

**Disclaimer: For the last time, I do not own the Avengers or Star Wars.**

**AN: Well? Was that awesome or what? I'd like to thank EVERYONE that read, reviewed, favorited, and alerted this story. I enjoyed writing it very much and it was a fun ride while it lasted. I don't like to get sentimental because Loki would disapprove, but I will very much miss this story. It was, by far, my best work and the funnest to do. So, to all my wonderful fans: farewell, live long and prosper, and MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!**


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